Conception／Zero
by STKmon
Summary: In the year 199X, a man called Cypher is only the first ripple in waves of change in the world of Fate/Zero. The death of Zouken Makiri, an attack in the Tohsaka family home, and a rare meeting with the Einzbern head... A Holy Grail War like none the world has seen before is about to commence.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I would like to think that, by nature of the format with which I am spinning this yarn, I would not have to say this. On the other hand, best to err on the side of caution. Therefore, I am stating here that I do not own any of the properties that this story is based on, such as Type-Moon and nitroplus's Fate/Zero light novels and ATLUS's Shin Megami Tensei video game series.

* * *

Zouken Matou dragged the little girl along as he shuffled towards the basement. His left hand grip held tight in her hair like a vice, never budging despite her whimpering as she tried to keep up. The sound of his walking stick impacting on the ground seemed to go right in tandem with the grandfather clock in some other room of Matou Manor. If anyone who knew Zouken bore witness to this sight, the most unusual thing they would note was his heaving and panting as he stalked closer to his destination. Rarely did the man exert himself, especially in his fragile state. Perhaps the only compliment one could give the man was that he wasn't tripping over his own robes in his haste.

Someone was knocking on the door. Three rapid strikes on the front door, and then silence. Zouken stopped for a moment, the notion of anybody looking for him at his time being absurd to him. After a short moment, Zouken started to pull the girl along again when the knocking on the door came back. This time he heard a muffled shout for him, and interesting enough, for the girl as well. The voice sounded familiar, a little bit different but close enough that one name instantly came to mind: Kariya.

'So the prodigal son returns to seek salvation for the little one,' the old man mused to himself as he continued on. The last living descendent with the magic potential to reinvigorate the Matou bloodline and its withering legacy, Kariya Matou had expressed disgust at the family methods and chosen a life of exile and solitude. The last that Zouken had gleamed of Kariya's actions through a familiar was a short meeting with the Tohsaka's wife and child, and then a mad dash to the manor. 'Too late to play hero now, boy,' Zouken thought as his brittle hand reached for the cellar doorknob-

"I thought that people were supposed to answer the door when someone comes knocking."

It must have been the shock, the sudden rush of adrenaline that hadn't been activated in decades, or the fact that it was HIS voice, Zouken had never spun around so fast to meet this mysterious stranger in his entire life. The girl yelped as she was flung to the floor by the old man's unexpected movement, tripping over his walking stick in the process. She didn't have the energy to get up, but she glanced upward at the person who got such a reaction and set her new grandfather on edge unlike she had ever seen before. It wasn't really hard to spot him. In all the darkness that the Matou manor seemed to perpetuate, the stranger was in what looked like a quite comfortable chair with a rack of candles providing the only warm, yet unnatural, light in the house.

Mr. Stranger was clad in a dark blue suit ensemble with a white shirt and yellow tie around his neck. He rested his face on his left hand with his arm on the armrest, leaning towards the candles that seemed to make his blond hair and yellow eyes sparkle like gold, and his skin white like marble. His finger tapped his temple while he stared at the two people in front of him.

"... Cypher." The name escaped Zouken's dry lips with a hint of fear, and the stranger smiled.

"You remember, after all. Age hasn't slowed you down completely then, Zouken," the one known as Cypher said with a sigh of relief. He finally got up from the chair, and walked forward a few steps before kneeling down to look at the little girl. "She's yours? I thought the Matou bloodline couldn't produce capable heirs anymore."

"A generous donation from the Tohsaka family... They had a spare, and I happened to remember our old ties," Zouken spoke slowly as if he was reminding himself how he came to possess the girl in the first place. A light laugh came from the younger man as he held his hand out to the girl, She looked at it quizzically before finding herself pulled up to her feet anyway. "Listen to us, Zouken. We talk about her like she was some brood mare, does she not have a name?" Cypher asked the old man, then he turned back to her. "Well, child? What's your name?"

She didn't answer right away. She couldn't help but be unsettled by this stranger who, despite the show of courtesy and decency she hadn't experienced since her arrival here, seemed more alien than the walking mummy that said he was her grandfather. She looked away from the new man's doll-like face a few times before... "Sakura."

"Sakura... what a pretty name. For a pretty girl, too," Cypher said as he turned back to Zouken in glee. The old man merely returned a stare that would have evaporated water before curtly nodding. "Yes yes, enough about the girl. What is your business here? We have not met in 59 years yet you suddenly see fit to grace me with your presence?" Zouken seemed to strike the ground with his cane harder as he walked around the others, clearly unafraid of the familiar intruder now.

"Ah yes, how quickly I forget that I have business in the first place. Distracted by the little lady, I suppose," Cypher said as he laughed, and then he shocked Zouken by walking towards the front door with Sakura. "Now, little Sakura. Your grandfather and I have some grown-up things to talk about. Could you wait outside for a little while? We'll be done soon." He left Sakura at the front door with the only pair of shoes at the door, her own, and left for Zouken without waiting for an answer.

Sakura didn't really know what else to do, so she put on a jacket and her shoes and opened the door. What she didn't expect was for somebody to run into the door the same time she opened it, and then fall on her.

* * *

The excavation efforts at Cornwall had been a success. He saw the scabbard with his own eyes and sensed its divinity. Jubstacheit von Einzbern, known more commonly as Acht, bade the search team farewell as he returned Avalon to its case. His mind was at ease for the first time in centuries. Finally, the Einzberns had gotten a hold of a promised victory in the Holy Grail War.

After the summoning relic was put away for safekeeping, the Einzbern family head went to his study, the Einzbern library. Each wall was lined with massive books and the shelves went all the way up to the ceiling. The only light in the room came from the sunlight through the windows, a candelabrum unlit and forgotten on the round table of the center next to a worn-out red book. Acht sat in the only chair in front of the desk and opened the book to find it blank.

It had been a long time since he had done it, Acht admitted to himself, and thoughts of the War to come were foremost in his head nowadays. He shook his head, reprimanded himself for his fleeting moment of weakness, and straightened himself out on his chair. He smoothed out his white robes, sat up straight, then with a deep breath, he became as still as the dead. Not a millimeter of movement could be sensed from him, not even his chest moved as he drew breath. His eyes barely opened to a slit, and he slowly raised his left arm. His worn fingers touched the blank pages of the book, and in that instant, lines appeared to form words upon words until the pages were full. As the words appeared, images played out in Acht's mind:

_The Third Holy Grail War was a revelation for the Three Founding Families. Their alliance had shattered once their differing ideals for the War came to light, with the Einzberns desiring to achieve the Third Magic, and the Tohsaka family seeking to reach the Root. The Makiri threw in their lot with the Einzberns, but Acht saw the man called Zouken behind the scenes, driving his descendants towards his own goals._

_The strife between the Three Founding Families in itself wasn't a bad thing at all. Indeed, now that they each had their own goals in mind, they could each give it their all, unfettered by cooperation and driven by competition, to see the Holy Grail War to the end and their wish granted. Perhaps if the War had proceeded as expected, someone might have even won._

_Before the Third War commenced, a lone stranger appeared to each of the three families, bestowing a unique relic upon each of them to bless their pursuit of the Holy Grail. The Einzberns were given a fossilized piece of skin, said to belong to an Eternal Warrior who had fought and emerged victorious in countless battles. The Tohsaka were given a unique type of incense, and the family head was instructed to meditate with it under the full moon to reach a higher understanding of Akasha. The Makiri received a curved jade that would bless their family and descendants with magic talent and long, prosperous lives. In addition, each of the families were given a gift from the man's own illustrious masters, a candelabrum that would provide a guiding light in their path for the Grail._

_When asked for a name, the messenger merely called himself, "Cypher."_

_The Einzberns used the skin in their summoning, only to call a pale imitator of the Avenger class, and he had been among the first casualties. The Tohsaka family head, upon inhaling the incense as instructed, entered a frenzied state in which he killed many of his own family members before succumbing to asphyxiation. Zouken, learning of the jade that was given to his proxy, took the relic for himself and accused the other families of the theft while the Einzberns and Tohsaka blamed the others for sabotage._

_In all the chaos, nobody noticed the candelabra suddenly flickering wildly._

_Fiends of Hell descended upon the Holy Grail War. The Masters were quickly cut down, their efforts to combat the Avatars of Death utterly futile. The Servants were rendered powerless by the loss of their Masters, and they too fell to the Grim Reapers. The final blow in the War was dealt at the Einzbern home, where countless homunculi were scattered across the burning land, torn and shattered to pieces barely resembling anything human. Acht could only watch as a Fiend riding a Great Seven-Headed Beast gently picked up the Grail Vessel, and decapitated it in one swift motion._

_The Fiend had a feminine body tightly wrapped in a blood-red gown that matched the Great Beast she rode on, but her face was a clean, white skull. She cradled the Grail head in her arms, then slowly ripped the face off and dropped the rest, not caring as it shattered on the ground like glass. Acht watched as the Fiend slowly turned to face him, looking down at him as she put the face of his ancestor, Lizleihi Justica von Einzbern, on her own skull-face. She poked and prodded at her new face, moving it here or there, occasionally opening her jaw to stretch the face unnaturally until it seemed to set in. The empty blackness of the Fiend's eye sockets under the face's eyelids suddenly glowed red, and the Fiend pitched her head back and laughed to the sky._

_Acht could only see an ancestor laughing at him for daring to think he could succeed where his predecessors failed, laughing at his own failure costing his family their future, laughing at him and daring him to kill himself out of despair-_

Acht snatched his hand away from the book as if it had suddenly caught on fire_,_ finally freeing himself from his trance. He hadn't intended to look that far into the last Grail War at all, definitely not so far as to see that image again... He opened his eyes and was greeted with darkness. There was nothing outside the windows anymore, as if a black smog had rolled in and obscured all the natural light. That was impossible, reviewing his past memories in this manner was only a process that affected his state of mind for a single fraction of a second, there was no passage of time to consider! Suddenly, light appeared as if a flame had been birthed in the darkness of chaos, and it came from-

There was another man across from him on the other side of the table. His blue eyes reflected by the flames of that accursed candelabrum were the first thing that Acht had noticed. That man's pale skin and blond hair came next, as if the Stranger had melded into being the moment he was bathed in the light of the candelabrum's flames. With a wave of his right arm, the Stranger conjured a chair from nothing and sat in it, silently staring at Acht the whole time. For a while, neither man had a thing to say, then the Stranger broke the silence.

"Jubstacheit. You're looking well for your age." The smile on the Stranger's face could cure cancer for all he cared, Acht hadn't felt this angry and unsettled in decades.

"Cypher, ever the flatterer. To what end have you violated the sanctity of my home now?" Acht slowly growled in a low, deep voice. Cypher softly laughed at Acht's remark, and for a single moment Acht saw the other man's eyes flash red as he replied, "Now now, no need to worry. The darkness will abate soon enough, and this candelabrum won't last long. That feisty bunch isn't anywhere near here, I'm just checking up on an old friend." Acht grunted at that last part and shot back, "Really? The last time you 'checked up' on me was over 50 years ago, and you didn't do any of us favors with that stunt of yours. It took decades for our families to rebuild our infrastructure, even without taking the World War into account!"

Cypher assumed an expression that looked like he was shocked and hurt by Acht's words, and then fixed his face a split second later before replying, "Well I do wish I could apologize, but it seems that the magi of this world are quite different from what I'm used to. It's a whole new world for me, you see? Very hokey rules in place, it was like throwing a magnet at a refridgerator and having it bounce off with the force of a cruise missile." He produced a tea cup out of thin air, sipped it, then dropped it into oblivion again as he caught the look on Acht's face. "Right, magi hate technology. Sorry, it's more like-"

"I know of what you speak. The Magus Killer had the area wired up as one of his conditions for working with us," Acht grumbled as he remembered quite vividly the old arguments that he had with that man known as the Magus Killer, a hated figure among magi but a necessary risk for the Einzberns' chances in the upcoming Grail War. Cypher suddenly had a twinkle in his eye and leaned in over the table with that damned smile. "Magus Killer? Tell me more." Acht was getting more and more impatient with him and replied, "I am not your puppet, Cypher. We both know you know more than you let on."

Cypher leaned back into his chair and sighed, "Jubstacheit, you give me far too much credit. After all, I am not omnipotent." If Acht's eyes weren't fooling him, Cypher seemed to hate that particular word he had just uttered. "...Still, I am happy to see that at least one of the Three Founding Families is learning and adapting with the world around them."

"What do you mean?" Acht asked. Cypher hummed to himself for a bit, then spoke, "You've taken aggressive steps for a family not particularly well known for aggression. Hiring a man called Magus Killer, for starters, and then I look at your summoning artifact. I can feel its power from here, did you know that?" "You exaggerate," Acht scoffed at him.

"Not at all, not at all. Although, it's a far cry from that piece of skin I gave you on the last war." Cypher seemed content to leave it at that, but Acht seriously wanted to know what possessed the man to say that. "The Servant we called with your 'relic' was a far cry from the Avenger that we were told would surface, Cypher. Do you honestly expect me to believe that a tortured villager could contend with the Legendary King of Knights?"

Cypher looked back at him, and his eyes seemed to flash from blue to red again, only a little longer than last time. "Yes, old friend. While your sheathe is quite the mystery even to my eyes, that skin belonged to a being that has seen the beginnings and ends of countless worlds. Do not be fooled by your failings in bringing that fake to fruition 50 years ago, Jubstacheit. You will see it, with your own eyes, that you had the most powerful Servant of all." This time, the smile on Cypher's face was not something that inspired anger, but a chilling sensation that Acht hadn't felt since that day.

Finally, Cypher got up from his chair, which seemed to melt into the darkness as he walked away from the table. "I've kept you long enough. Thank you very much for talking with me, Jubstacheit. Fairly enlightening and all, but again, it's nice enough to simply reconnect with old friends." He brought up his right hand, but suddenly turned back around to Acht. "Oh yes, congratulations on your Great-Great... well what would she be in relation to you?" Acht didn't take half a second to know what he was letting on now. "They are homunculi. We are not related at all."

At that, Cypher frowned a bit, then smiled back at Acht, his eyes now fully red. "Even so, family is family." And with a snap of his fingers, the candelabrum went out, the sunlight peering through the windows, and it was as if the meeting never happened.

* * *

Matou Manor. Home to Zouken Matou, the most heinous living thing in Fuyuki City, and if he was too late, Hell on Earth for Sakura, the youngest daughter of Aoi Zenj- Aoi Tohsaka, the only woman that he had dared to love more than life itself.

Kariya Matou was about to do something stupid, for sure.

One does not simply walk into Matou Manor, after all. There is evil there that does not sleep. His familiars are his eyes, ever watchful for all intruders. The boundary wards around the house will cook you alive through your magic circuits if you're a magus with malicious intent. Normal people, if they're stupid enough to ignore the massive GET THE HELL AWAY FROM HERE vibes that emanate from the house, are shocked into unconsciousness by the wards and devoured to prolong the demon's life. Not with ten thousand magi could you defeat him, it would be folly.

There was a very high probability that things were being over-exaggerated.

Kariya was still just outside the gate, a tiny voice in the back of his mind telling him to hold on, maybe get some help from the local police and do this the normal way. The louder voice in the back of his mind said that with Zouken, you couldn't take chances. Sakura might have already been changed, and even if it's all that's left to do now, minimize the damage to her and get her out of there.

_This __is __between __you __and __the __old __man__, __get __Sakura __out __of __there __and __back __to __her __family_.

With that thought in his mind, Kariya took a deep breath, pulled the hood of his hoodie off his head, steeled himself, and leapt over the gate and ran to the door! Good, he didn't explode from the inside out, wasting his magus potential wasn't such a bad thing after all! "Old man! Open up!" he cried out, banging against the door and turning the knob to no avail. Realizing how bad this might look to outsiders, Kariya turned around to see if anybody was watching him.

A little boy with red hair was walking a dog, a Pomeranian. They were both looking at Kariya, and Kariya looked back. Two whole seconds went by, but they felt like an eternity to him. Finally the boy ran back the other way, but the pomeranian kept its eyes on Kariya as it followed its owner.

Kariya quickly turned back to the door. "Old man, I know you're in there! You can't even leave the house, open the damn door!" A few more strikes on the door for good measure. It couldn't be that Zouken was slow walking to the door, he didn't operate like that. He'd seen it with his own eyes before. He practically teleported, swimming in the shadows like a parasite that lived in those-

'Parasites! Maybe I'm too late and he's just sitting there, laughing at me while watching Sakura get-' With renewed vigor, Kariya now started to ram the door with his shoulder. "Sakura, hold on! Kariya-ojisan's here!" Hoping his voice could reach her wherever in the house she was, as insane as the thought of the physics working out like that could be, Kariya kept ramming the door, hoping that eventually it would give. But damn, it was like running into the door of a bank vault each time!

'Geez, he must have focused all his defenses on the door to lock me out!' Kariya thought. If that were the case, he would have to take the door down in one hit. He stepped back from the door, standing all the way back at the gate and facing his goal. He closed his eyes, he had to calm down, enter whatever zen spiritual mindset that magi would use to access their magic circuits... Ohh! He was feeling warmer, this was it!-

Kariya found himself blinded by the sun, which had just found the perfect time to peek out of the clouds and bathe him in its warmth while taking away his sight for a few seconds. 'Even better!' he thought. 'Amaterasu is watching! Mother to us all, I swear I'll get Sakura out of there!' He steeled himself once again, getting into a track and field stance as he looked at that door the same way he tried to incinerate Tokiomi Tohsaka with his line of sight the day that man had knelt down on one knee and-

"Sakura! Here I come!" Kariya had never ran faster in his life. Adrenaline was pumping and his feet hit the ground faster than he had ever run, none of which was due to any magic circuits. That door was going to explode into 50 billion pieces, Zouken was going to burn in Hell for thinking he could sacrifice the purity and sanctity of a little girl for his own ambitions and the door's opening-!

The next thing he knew, his foot got caught on the first step leading up to the porch and Kariya flew through the door and fell onto young Sakura, the very girl he was here to save and protect, not injure by accident.

"Kariya-ojisan?" Sakura weakly called out from under him as he scrambled to his feet and brushed the dust off his jeans and hoodie. "Yeah, it's me, Sakura-chan. I'm here to get you back home," Kariya explained as he dusted Sakura off too after picking her back up. Sakura was in pretty simple attire, a jacket over her long dress and shoes, her hair as brown as her mother's and eyes blue like normal. And that sweet and fragile smile on her face that always-

Wait. She looked normal.

"Back home? But why, Daddy- Mr. Tohsaka said that I had to be here with Grandpa now," Sakura asked Kariya, looking first elated then deeply confused. "Tokiomi was wrong, it isn't safe for you to be here with Zouken," Kariya couldn't look back at her while he said this. He always had this ugly look on his face whenever he thought of the two most hated people in his life, and he had only just mentioned them both in the same breath. He turned back to her and asked, "I'll explain later, Zouken hasn't done anything to you, right?" He had to make sure, she might look okay but the changes just might not have manifested yet...

Sakura shook her head. "I got fed some runny soup, and Grandpa pulled me by my hair for a little bit, but then this other man came to talk to Grandpa and he told me to leave. I went to open the door and then you fell on me, Kariya-ojisan."

The next thing they heard was the unearthly scream of an old man from inside the house.

* * *

Soft footsteps tried their hardest to echo as a little girl tiptoed down the hallway. She had socks on in order to muffle her footsteps, and anything would help against those creaky steps on the staircase down to the living room. Rin Tohsaka didn't want to get caught, because then Papa might force her to stop learning magecraft until he got back, and that was unacceptable. The more she learned before she had to leave with Mama, the more she could argue for a chance to stay with Papa and help him fight in the Holy Grail War.

Creeping down the hallway, Rin had to walk into the kitchen to get to the cellar door, the entrance to Papa's workshop. As she walked towards the door, she couldn't help but notice that the cupboard had an extra cup, a pink one next to her red one. Sakura, her beloved sister, was now living with another Magus family called the Matou. Her departure was too sudden for any of them, and all the evidence that another young Tohsaka lived here had yet to be cleared out. Papa had said that it was for the best, and that one day they would meet again because of the connection between the Tohsaka and the Matou families. She couldn't bear any ill will to her Papa for what happened, but that didn't make the empty place in her heart go away...

The sound of a chair moving against the uneven floor of the cellar downstairs made Rin jump. Was somebody down there already? Maybe Papa knew what Rin was up to, and decided to be three steps ahead of her? But that wasn't possible, she made sure that he was asleep with Mama in their bedroom. Then, an intruder?! But that also didn't make sense. Papa had that Weird Priest's Creepy-Skull-Squad watching over the house at all times, and the wards around the premises were first-rate. Therefore, there was only one conclusion left to draw:

It was just Rin's imagination.

Satisfied by her skills in deduction, Rin still remembered to open the cellar door as quietly as possible, closed it as quietly as possible (There was a pretty loud CLACK associated with each movement, hence why this was Rin's least favorite door) and tiptoed down the cold steps to Papa's Workshop. It seemed like Papa had forgotten to clean up after himself, because there was still a candelabrum burning with soft light. Rin took a moment to pout like her Mama would have at the sight, then giggled at the thought before she walked towards Papa's collection of Advanced-

"I do believe it's way past your bedtime, child."

Rin shrieked for an instant, then immediately covered her mouth with her hands, hoping that she didn't just give up the game. But wait, she wanted Papa to find her, because now she was in the worst possible scenario imaginable. She was in Papa's Workshop, it was way past bedtime, and now she was alone with somebody who could possibly be a child predator or worse because they had enough skill to evade that Weird Priest's Creepy-Skull-Squad, and worst of all, go through Papa's protective wards.

The intruder was sitting in a red chair that definitely didn't resemble any furniture that was in the Tohsaka Mansion. The armrests were bone-white and seemed to curve in like goat horns. The man himself had pale skin, blond hair and blue eyes. He was in a dark blue suit with a red tie, and his hands were holding a weird book that he had been reading up until Rin had walked in. She caught a glimpse of what looked like a pentagram with a hand in the center before the man shut the book and put it on top of a pile of similar books on his armrest. He looked right at her, his blue eyes seeming like they were boring into her own. "Well, do you have anything to say?" The intruder asked her with a smile.

It was the smile that set her off. Mama had a wonderful smile, and she tried to match it everyday. Papa didn't smile often, but when he did it usually happened when she improved her magecraft, and that was fine. This man's smile was too perfect, too unreal. Rin tried to speak, and finally managed, "Those were Papa's books- I don't know you!" She quickly brought her right hand up and pointed it at the intruder like a gun. She had her left hand steady her right for good measure, and started to charge her prana. 'A quick burst to stun him, and then go get Papa,' she thought as the man slowly got up from his chair. "Stay away!" she shouted as she got ready to shoot.

"Rin, calm down. I am not here to hurt you. You don't want an accident like what happened last time, do you?" The man spoke to Rin as he held his hands up as if in surrender, slowly walking towards her. A million thoughts were running through Rin's head now. 'How does he know my name? Is he telling the truth? How does he know about what happened here?' Then Rin flinched in indescribable pain, cutting her questions short. Not just her right hand, now her whole body felt too hot, felt like it was going to burst-

And then, just as quickly as it began, it ended. Rin sank down to the floor, gasping for breath as she was soaked in her own sweat. That was way too scary, she never felt her prana go overboard like that before... She looked at the man, and saw something strange. His eyes were closed, and he was chanting some odd language she had never heard before. His arm was out, and at his right palm a swarm of red energy had emanated from her and collected until it absorbed into him. Rin tried to speak, and was slightly surprised when the words came out easier than she expected, "Did you... did you do that?"

The man opened his eyes, but now they were an eerie red instead of the clear blue that they were before. Now instead of a man trying to make friends, he was every bit the cold, powerful magus that he looked like. "Did I just save you from a critical, uncontrolled surge of prana that would have ripped you apart from within? Yes, I did. Are you not a magus of the Tohsaka family? I thought you were taught to know your limits." A few seconds passed after that, then the man's eyes became blue again and he took a deep breath. "Still, I am not Tokiomi. I am not the one to scold or instruct you. I apologize."

Rin's next question didn't come any quicker than her last. "Do you really know Papa?" The man put his hand to his head as he replied, "Yes, in a manner of speaking you could say that I made him who he is today." He knelt down so he could be at eye level with Rin. "I am Cypher. It is my delight to meet the next heir of the Tohsaka legacy." He extended his hand out to her, and Rin let a couple seconds pass before shaking it. "I have known your father's family for quite a long time. I didn't mean to stay this late, but I was doing some research with the material your family has accumulated. What were you down here for, Rin?"

Rin had to clear her throat before answering, "I just wanted to do some studying of my own. I don't want to leave Papa alone in this Holy Grail War, and I don't know if I can trust that Weird Priest he's been teaching." Cypher chuckled at that last part and replied, "Yes, it's hard to put any stock in a man who works in His name, isn't it?" He stood up again and walked towards the work table, putting his right hand into his pocket... then pulling it out and putting something on the table. "I think... I might be able to help you, Rin."

Confused, Rin walked up to the table and got a look at the object that Cypher had dropped onto the table. It was an obsidian rock, but inside it had a faintly red glow. "You have been practicing your prana control with crystals? This unique stone might be the answer that you seek. Transmit your prana into this stone, and you will discover a power that can help your father win this war." Cypher stepped to the side, away from the table so that Rin could stand in front of the stone. She could swear she heard a tiny voice murmuring in the stone... 'This could be a very bad idea,' was the main thought floating in her head right now, and she considered maybe just asking to keep the stone and give it to Papa later, but-

_But __I __can __help__... __I __need __to __help __Papa __with __this __power__. __Giving __him __this __stone __won__'__t __prove __anything__. __It __has __to __be __me__._

With that hope in her heart, she held her hands out and concentrated. She closed her eyes and slowly felt the prana flow through her and into the stone... Even through her eyelids she could see a result, but it wasn't like usual. With the crystals that she practiced with, a blue light would dance across her eyes. This time, a dark red pulsed more and more, until it bled through like a red sun and she couldn't keep her eyes closed-

"Oh no!" She instantly knew that she went overboard with the transmission, and now the obsidian stone had lost its blackness and looked like a living ruby egg. Right in front of her eyes, it seemed to grow and grow. She backed up the wall as it grew to the size of a small watermelon and started to loudly, very loudly, crack horizontally across the middle like unstable glass. Any proof she needed that she was way deep in trouble was solidified by another horrifying discovery: Cypher had left.

The egg erupted, and it seemed to wipe out the concept of sound as a mass of black energy remained where it once was. A crackling noise was all that filled Rin's head as she struggled to comprehend what she was seeing. It was like the entire world around her had inverted in color as the mass of energy slowly floated to the ceiling until it reached the top, trembling and dancing with black and blue electricity until-

The bolt of lightning that erupted from the energy mass struck the floor of the workshop with so much force that it threw Rin off her feet, and she was deaf the moment she hit the floor. 'Well, there's no way Papa and Mama didn't hear that,' she thought as she struggled to get up off the ground. She blinked until the world came into focus again, and looked back towards the workshop. The stone was still there! It was black again, but the red aura from inside was pulsing with more strength now, and it seemed to go in tune with the beating of a heart.

In the center of the cellar now was... another little girl. The fading light of the candelabrum made her blue dress look like something between indigo and blue. Aside from her attire, Rin might have assumed that Cypher had shrunk. This little girl had the same hair and skin color as him, but she couldn't tell her eye color. The girl was lying on the ground as if she had slept... or rather, as if she had fallen from a great height. Slowly she got up to her feet, and Rin was compelled to do the same. Their eyes met, Rin's blue with the mysterious girl's yellow.

"Hello, what is your name?"

The other girl had curtsied as she spoke, so she didn't notice that Rin was too stunned to reply. The first reason was that she had asked Rin her name in English. The second reason was out of disbelief. 'It couldn't be... _this_ is the power that will help Papa?' She cleared her throat and answered, "I am Tohsaka Rin, daughter of Tohsaka Tokiomi, the Magus that you will be serving."

"Ah, my apologies," the girl had replied, this time in perfect Japanese. "Greetings, Tohsaka Rin. My name is Alice."

Rin was really confused now. From what she could tell, she had somehow summoned Alice from the Lewis Carroll stories into being in Papa's workshop, a character from a work of fiction who by many accounts wasn't particularly well known for being a fighter... But on the other hand, what just happened could be a good thing! She brought something from fiction into reality! This must be a different facet of the Second Magic that she just realized! Rin was getting a little excited now, and she turned to the girl who hadn't changed her happy expression ever since she appeared. "Right then, Alice? Do you swear your unwavering loyalty to me and anything I will require of you?"

"Oh yes, Rin! I would be most happy to do anything to help my newest friend."

Yes! It worked, Papa would be- Wait, friend?

"Then... can I ask one thing of you as well?"

Rin looked at the girl, and found that she couldn't look away. She also couldn't move, couldn't blink, couldn't breathe, as Alice clasped her hands together as if in prayer, gave Rin the happiest smile on her face, and her eyes turned from yellow to red as she asked of her newest, and bestest friend, one little favor:

"Could you please die for me?"

* * *

Kariya Matou was frozen in his tracks. Zouken was the most horrible being he had ever known in his life, the reason that he had left this mad family in the first place. What he had just heard was that same horrible old man screaming in utter agony, and now the house was practically bathed in an aura of malevolent intent. He hadn't sensed this since the day he left this place, so many years ago. Obviously, Zouken wasn't going to let his plans go without a fight.

With nothing but the goal of preserving Sakura's wellbeing in his mind, Kariya scooped her up in his arms and ran for the door. The next thing he knew, his body was inundated with electricity and he hit the wall opposite the door that had somehow closed itself. "Kariya-ojisan!" Sakura shouted as she ran to him. It seemed that he had dropped her the instant he got shocked, so she didn't get the full force of the wards locking them in.

"I'm okay, Sakura-chan," Kariya reassured her as he slowly got up. It wasn't exploding from magic circuit overload, but it still hurt to breathe or stand up. He looked down at Sakura and met her blue eyes, shining from the crackling energy from the door, reminding him so much of her dear mother. He looked up past her, into the darkness of the hallway that _felt_ like the old man was lying in wait, and steeled himself. "Sakura-chan, the moment you see an opening, get out of here and go back home to your mother, okay? Don't wait for me, don't look for me. Just go." He didn't want to see the look on her face as he told her this, and he didn't wait for an answer as he walked into the pitch black hallway.

_One __way __or __another __this __ends __today__, __and __no __matter __what __happens__, __she __walks __free__._

Kariya walked through the darkness, trying to feel the walls to at least feel like he was still in Matou Manor, but he felt like he was walking in a void. His eyes couldn't see anything, and he tried his hardest to hear any sounds other than his low breathing or footsteps, to no avail. Was this another trap, meant to disorient and mislead him while the old man preyed on Sakura back in the living room? Suddenly, a light. A candelabrum had suddenly lit in the room ahead. Kariya ran for it-

A hand snatched out and grabbed onto Kariya's right leg! Kariya fell back and tried to kick the arm off with his left leg, but the hand held tight like a vice. Another hand grabbed onto his right foot now, and Kariya mentally reoriented his left leg and kicked for where the head would be. He felt himself strike something, and both hands released his right leg. Kariya got up to get a better look at the attacker... and saw something he thought he would never see.

A withered excuse for an old man was laying on the ground. He struggled to move, to breathe, to turn his head up to look at Kariya. He was frantically panting, and it was easy to see why. A gaping hole sat where his heart should have been, and a black ichor was oozing from that hole and every other orifice of the man's body. Zouken Matou was dying, very painfully.

_"__Kariya__..."_

It was impossible. This was the hated patriarch of the Matou family, a ruthless demon who used every trick in the book to prolong his life. A man who lost the body of a magus and every shred of his humanity, who was willing to turn an innocent girl into a worm hive and a womb for future generations of magi. Yet Kariya's senses did not deceive him. Zouken Matou, on his dying breath, was begging for him.

He had no love for the man, nor for the legacy that had tarnished their family. Ages from now, Kariya would never know why he knelt down to get a closer look at that old, dying man. "...Old man?" Before he knew it, Zouken reached out with blinding speed and grabbed Kariya's head and pulled him down to the floor. His chin smashed onto the floor and dizzy from the pain, he could do nothing but look into Zouken's eyes, no longer specks of light in blackness but the purple that had faded away centuries before. Images filled his mind-

_A women in a golden dress, smiling for the first time ever at him as she walked into the light... A pale imitation of that woman exploding in a shower of blood, the first failed attempt at replicating the Heaven's Feel... His fist colliding with the mirror upon gazing at himself years later, the face of failure and mortality looking back at him... The smoking corpse of his first descendant bereft of Magic Circuits, dead at his hands and fury... A curved jade shimmering with corruption in his hands, cracking like an egg until a small worm emerged, and with nothing else to live for, he hastily swallowed it-_

Kariya lurched back, batting Zouken's arms away as he hit the wall behind him and proceeded to vomit. That last vision was far too real, he almost felt that insect squirming in his own throat as he emptied what remained of his breakfast from his stomach. He coughed and coughed until he could breathe again, and tried not to think about- DON'T THINK ABOUT IT! He slowly caught his breath, ignored the stench of what he had just expelled from his body, and looked down at what had become of his ancestor.

The light faded from the old man's eyes, and he seemed to turn as stiff as stone. Kariya heard a cracking sound, and the old man's arms snapped off at the elbows and crumbled into pieces upon impact with the floor. The rest of the body followed suit, shattering into tiny pieces that resembled small worms. If Kariya looked closer, he might have even noticed one try in vain to tremble before dissolving into dust like the rest of the remains. Thus, Zouken Makiri had finally died.

Kariya simply lay there, his mind trying to calm down and comprehend what had just happened. Zouken was dead. Did Hell freeze over so he could fall on his frigid ass once he arrived? The hallway was full of light finally coming in from the windows, and the rest of the house seemed just as well-lit. Kariya breathed a sigh of relief. He could finally get Sakura out of here. He got up to his feet, careful not to slip on his own vomit, and started to run in the direction he had just-

"Stay where you are."

Kariya turned around to the source of the unfamiliar voice, and saw an unfamiliar man in a blue suit ensemble. He had white skin and blond hair, and his eyes were a completely different blue from what Kariya was used to. The other man was looking down at the small pool of black liquid that had leaked from Zouken's decaying body. It was still evaporating from the light, and he stood there silently observing the black pool until it vanished. He looked up at Kariya, and then seemed to look some distance behind him. He smiled and said, "Ah, little Sakura, you're back."

Kariya turned back around and saw Sakura running up to him. She clung to Kariya's jeans and looked at the other man with uncertainty. "Sakura-chan, do you know this man?" Kariya asked her. Sakura looked up at him and shook her head. The other man cleared his throat to get their attention and said, "True, we only just met today. My apologies for acting familiar." He raised his right hand, and then bowed to Kariya and Sakura. "My name is Cypher, young Kariya, and I am very delighted to finally meet you."


	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I would like to think that, by nature of the format with which I am spinning this yarn, I would not have to say this. On the other hand, best to err on the side of caution. Therefore, I am stating here that I do not own any of the properties that this story is based on, such as Type-Moon and nitroplus's Fate/Zero light novels and ATLUS's Shin Megami Tensei video game series.

* * *

_After the end of the Third Holy Grail War, the Three Founding Families struggled to rebuild from the ashes. For the Tohsaka family, it was their darkest hour. Their family head had recently been driven mad by that stranger's "gift," and killed several of his descendents before dying himself. Fearing that the family blood would suffer the same fate as the Makiri line, they took in the Edelfelt twin who had miraculously escaped the Fiends' reach without hesitation._

_The Tohsaka family's influence with the Mage's Association was fading fast, and nobody took their demands for justice against the man called Cypher seriously. Many of the influential magi families who looked down on the Holy Grail War brushed it off as a tall tale to make up for the three families' latest failure. The horrendous track record that was attached to the War, as well as the assailant basically being called "Zero" or "Nothing" only supported their own views on the matter._

_The Church, however, had a different reaction. _

* * *

A massive wave of prana erupted from within the mansion, and Tokiomi Tohsaka jolted awake. He had never felt such a surge of energy in his own home before, and in fact it shouldn't even exist. He had the utmost confidence in his defenses and his pupil's Servant, and even if Rin had gone overboard in one of her secret practice runs, this couldn't possibly come from her.

Tokiomi promptly got out of bed and ran down the hall. "Rin? Rin, where are you?" He called out for his daughter, and opened her bedroom door only to find the room empty. Aoi, his faithful wife, was still half asleep from the shouting.

It was their daughter's scream that woke her up.

Ignoring his wife's cries for him, Tokiomi had already leapt the flight of stairs down to the living room hall, and ran into the kitchen. He reached for the cellar door, but his hand struck a barrier made of blue and black lightning. The barrier enveloped the entire entrance like a strange bubble that had come from the cellar downstairs, which meant the source of the disturbance was down there, alone with Rin...

"Tokiomi! I can't find Rin, I looked everywhere but I can't find her-" Aoi was completely frantic, and her face was red from practically running a marathon in the halls looking for their daughter. Tokiomi raised a finger to silence her and said, "Aoi, please stand back." As soon as she got back far enough, he channelled prana into his right arm, clenched his hand into a fist, went into a combat stance, and punched the barrier with all his might.

The kitchen was filled with crackling black and blue lightning. The windows and dishes shattered and exploded upon contact, and the light fixtures went haywire. Aoi screamed, more out of surprise than anything, since she had anticipated what her husband was about to do and ducked into the hallway.

Tokiomi was unharmed, standing up straight again and dusting his shirt off as he watched the energy disperse and the barrier shimmer out of existence. Once it completely vanished, he lifted his right foot and kicked the cellar door clean off its hinges, sending it down the stairway into the cellar itself.

All at once, that wave of energy that had surged all the way up to the bedroom upstairs seemed to come back, like a supernatural heatwave. This time it was somewhat dampened, not venturing beyond the kitchen, but the feeling was unmistakable. There was a perceptible aura of killing intent down there, in the cellar where Rin most likely was...

"Aoi, stay back until I call you," Tokiomi said as he began to calmly walk down the stairs. His prana was flowing freely through his body, ready to be activated on command as he passed the doorway into the cellar. As he walked through, it felt like he was passing through a thick, gelatinous barrier as that wave of energy engulfed him.

The magus workshop looked more like a bomb testing site now. The wooden furniture was wrecked into splinters and chunks, the books and tools scattered around the floor though thankfully not damaged beyond repair. Amidst all the damaged light fixtures, only one candelabrum was still intact, its light flickering frantically as it struggled to stay lit. Tokiomi was alone, but the sense of killing intent was still there, and it seemed to get stronger the closer he walked to the center of the room...

**You can feel the presence of a terrifying power. Will you stay?**

**Yes**

**No**

**Are you sure?**

**Yes**

**No**

Suddenly, the floor opened up under his feet, and Tokiomi was swallowed by the darkness. The next thing he knew, he was plummeting head-first down a long tunnel of light. He struggled to keep his composure, and tried not to lose his mind while countless voices were screaming from all directions at him. At the last moment, he channelled the prana in his body to flip in midair and landed feet-first on the ground.

He looked up above to check for the tunnel that he had just come from, but found nothing except a sky that was unlike any that he had seen before. A pale, blood red hue dominated the sky that was filled with clouds of countless colors, undulating and eternally shifting. Lightning bolts danced in the air before striking the desert plains, and Tokiomi could only see walls of mountains around all sides.

A short distance away, a small group of people were also in this world of chaos. Two men in tuxedos, one black and one red, were watching over a pair of girls who were playing simple games or running around. They were completely oblivious to the unsettling scenery around them. One of the girls had long blond hair and the other had brown twintails just like-

"Rin!" Tokiomi shouted for his daughter as he ran towards her. Rin stopped running around and turned to look at him. Her eyes were a pearly white, and she was swaying unsteadily on the spot with a rictus grin on her face. "Rin, wake up! Papa's here, we have to go!" He held onto her shoulders and tried to shake her out of the trance. She suddenly stopped swaying in place, and her eyes seemed to flicker.

"Pa... pa..."

The color came back to Rin's eyes. Her unnatural smile subsided.

"Papa?"

The reality of the situation crept in on her, and Rin was suddenly terrified of something. Tokiomi finally noticed it. The little blond girl in the blue dress was staring at him, and she was not smiling anymore.

"Uncle Black!"

Suddenly, the man in the black suit spun in place, and the space around him distorted and warped until it became a red cloak that draped over him. The man's normal pale skin shifted into a bizarre pattern of several dark colors zebra-striped by white, with a skull design draping his face. He stretched his arm out towards Rin and thrust his palm out, sending strings that pierced into her back. The man pulled the strings back, and jerked Rin out of Tokiomi's grasp.

Tokiomi instantly leapt for her, but the man in the red suit was faster. He jumped into the air, and suddenly there was a blinding light. The next thing Tokiomi knew, he was pinned down to the ground by a massive pitchfork, his body barely missing the prongs. The man holding the giant pitchfork couldn't be called human anymore. It was a reptilian being with bat-like wings protruding from his shoulders, scales in his red skin and silver horns. With a deep, rumbling voice he said, "You will not interrupt Miss Alice's playtime."

"PAPA! PAPA HELP ME! PLEASE HELP, I'M SORRY, I'M SOR-" Rin's desperate cries were choked off by a sudden jerk of Nebiros' strung-up hand. Her eyes bulged out unnaturally and her tongue lulled out of her mouth as the demon twisted and twitched his fingers, sending signals through the strings that jolted her body in unnatural ways. Eventually he stopped, and Rin's face had that terrible rictus grin on it again, her eyes back to a dull white. She was silently giggling.

Cradling the giggling little girl, Nebiros brought her down to the ground in front of his master. "Your friend, Miss Alice." The demonic little girl squealed with happiness as she swept up the demented Rin in a hug, spinning her around until they tumbled onto the ground. "Oh Rin, I thought I lost you! You're my best friend ever, I'll never let you go!" Her charming laughter and Rin's disturbing giggling that had not stopped since she started merged into a cacophony of chaos.

* * *

"My name is Cypher, young Kariya, and I am very delighted to finally meet you."

Silence reigned in the halls of Matou Manor at the utterance of those words. Kariya Matou stood in the hallway with Sakura next to him, unable to sort out his thoughts on the mysterious stranger. This man calling himself Cypher hadn't harmed Sakura, but he couldn't be anything short of an extraordinary magus if he was the only other man in the house when Zouken had died.

How did the man know Sakura? Did Tokiomi or Aoi tell him about the adoption? Maybe he was another prestigious Magus looking to take Sakura as an heir to his family? Before Kariya could speak up, he suddenly felt an aura, an indescribable power getting closer to the mansion. Cypher noticed as well, because his smile disappeared.

"We must leave now. Both of you, pack your things, take only what is necessary," Cypher said as he started to walk towards the front doors. If Kariya had a problem with this abrupt order, it didn't come up as he took Sakura to her room on the second floor. Cypher felt a familiar presence coming closer to the front doors as he brushed off the dust that was Zouken on his suit, and straightened his tie out. When he got to the entrance, so too did the presence stop in front of the doors outside. Silence, then the doors were blown off their hinges from a knock that had more in common with a thunderclap.

When the dust settled, Cypher was greeted with the sight of a giant of a man. He wore a white suit ensemble with gold trimmings, and his white boots made the ground shake with every footstep. The dark-haired giant looked down at Cypher, his glowing blue eyes radiating hatred at the blonde man.

"It's been a long time, General Thorman..."

…

It turned out that there wasn't any packing to be done for Sakura or Kariya. She had only just arrived today, so her belongings were still in the single luggage in her room that she used. Kariya's nomadic (also, poor) lifestyle meant that he kept very little, and what little he did have was in his temporary apartment or the messenger bag slung over his shoulder now. It seemed a little pointless, then, to have come upstairs to Sakura's room.

Then the front doors downstairs practically exploded. Suddenly, right here seemed very safe.

Kariya felt awkward in Sakura's bedroom as he waited for the dust to settle downstairs. All the commotion that started from the moment that Cypher arrived seemed to have finally gotten to her, and she was sleeping soundly in the bed. Kariya simply sat in the wooden chair near a desk adjacent to the bed. He could only wander in his own thoughts as he watched over the girl who would soon be without a home again.

"Hey Sakura-chan," Kariya whispered to nobody in particular in order to keep from waking her up, "I don't know if you know this, but I've been in love with your mother since I first knew her." He looked at her sleeping face again, and turned away to rest his head and arms on the musty old desk. "Yeah, it was that obvious, huh? Ever since grade school, everybody teased me about it, but I would just deny it, and Aoi would just smile."

"But I knew that as long as Zouken still lived, I could never truly love her. The old man would exercise his right as the Family Head and curse her happy life with the Makiri magecraft." Kariya didn't know why he continued to talk. Maybe he was trying to make sense of what had happened today? "So I abandoned the Path of a Magus, and ran away. I thought, 'I'll live a normal life, and when I make it, and when the time is right, I'll be able to be with her.'"

"The next thing I know, I'm almost at my 30's, struggling to get by on freelance, Aoi's gotten married to a wealthy Magus, and Fate hands me the old man in a body bag too many years too late." Kariya tried his best to keep his voice down, but he couldn't tell if he succeeded nor did he really care. "I guess I'll be buying 10-yen trinkets for Aoi's kids until the day I die, huh?"

"Oh, that reminds me. I got this for you while I was away for business, Sakura-chan." Kariya reached into his pocket and pulled out the bracelet that he had bought for Sakura, and instinctively turned to give it to her. Only then did he finally notice that she was sitting up straight on the bed, giving him a look that he was too shocked to try to decipher.

So much for trying not to wake her up.

With a quiet utterance of thanks, Sakura held her hands out under the bracelet, and Kariya dropped it into her palms. He leaned back against the old chair as he watched Sakura look at the bracelet. Every other moment, Sakura looked at Kariya before looking back down at the bracelet in her hands. Kariya couldn't help but chuckle at that. "Sakura-chan, I'm sorry. Kariya-ojisan must seem like a total loser to you now, huh?"

"We're the same." Kariya noticed that Sakura wasn't looking up from her hands as she spoke now. "Pa- Mr. Tohsaka didn't want me, and Mama didn't want you." Sakura started to sniffle, and her eyes were welling up with tears. "We're the- we're the same. Unwanted, un- unloved, abandoned-"

Kariya pulled Sakura into a hug right as she started to cry in earnest, and then the world around them was filled with a blinding white light.

Kariya blinked, and then blinked again. He pinched his cheek, then slapped it for good measure. It was no use, he really wasn't dreaming.

Time had stopped.

He got up from where he was hugging Sakura, and looked around the room. All the furniture was suspended in midair, as if it was blasted by a gust of wind. The windows were completely shattered, with shards of glass spilling out like leaves caught in a breeze. Kariya walked out into the hallway, with Sakura following close behind. The hallway's lamps were destroyed beyond repair, and a couple sparks were frozen in time to emit a bizarre light that inverted the color of the setting. They might as well have walked into The Twilight Zone.

It felt stupid to ask, but Kariya did it anyway, "Sakura-chan, did you do this?" Sure enough, she shook her head. It completely boggled their minds. Nothing that they knew of Magecraft told them that something like the ability to stop the whole world in time was even remotely possible. If Sakura wasn't behind this, and Kariya certainly wasn't, then-

"Are you ready to go?"

Right on cue, Cypher stepped out of the same exact bedroom that Kariya and Sakura had just vacated. Sakura gasped and hid behind Kariya, while Kariya himself almost fell backward and had a panic attack at the reminder of the late Zouken's teleportation antics from when he used to live here. "Geez, Cypher. You- Yes. Yes, I'm ready, Sakura didn't unpack in the first place so she's ready, so we're all good to go," Kariya said with a twinge of irritation in his voice. Today was definitely the strangest day that he'd ever had yet.

Cypher nodded, then raised his right hand as if to snap his fingers, then seemed to reconsider something because he settled for beckoning them along as he went downstairs. Kariya rolled his eyes as he started to head downstairs as well, Sakura's luggage in hand. Sakura, wanting to help and not be left out, opted to carry Kariya's messenger bag and followed behind him. The moment that they reached the ground floor, Sakura gasped and jumped behind Kariya.

A giant figure stood frozen in front of the doorway. It seemed to be a giant man with tanned skin and tattoos, dark hair and glowing blue eyes behind a golden helmet with horns. He wore a golden tunic with a scale design, and white gloves and boots. His right arm was raised up high, holding onto a massive hammer as if he was poised to strike down whatever stood in front of him, a dramatic wind kicking up his massive white cape behind him.

"Oh, him? Not to worry, Kariya, Sakura-chan. This is the repair man," Cypher cheerily said. "The mansion has been in a state of disrepair due to the late Zouken not being able to fix things, so Mr. Repair-Man here is going to be in charge of renovations while we relocate. Now then, we'd best be on our way so he can get started," he said as if the matter was closed, and walked around the giant frozen man and out of Matou Manor.

Kariya realized that his mouth was agape, so he shut it and shook his head. Who did Cypher think he was fooling with such a blatant lie? This big thing could be many things, but a repair man was the last thing that he would have said. He looked down at Sakura, who looked back up at him with the same confused expression on her face, and they both looked at the frozen giant. In the end, what else were they going to do? With a relenting sigh, Kariya and Sakura both walked around the giant and left Matou Manor behind them.

Sakura couldn't help but gaze at the world around her with wonder as she followed Kariya to wherever it was that Cypher was leading the two of them. It seemed like even the most mundane things like cars moving in traffic, a flock of birds flying in the air and a kid playing with his dog became enchanted when it was a moment captured in time. Of course, in this case time was captured and nobody was keen to release it anytime soon.

While Sakura was very happy, Kariya couldn't help but feel like he was waiting for the other shoe to drop. Sure Zouken was dead, but that was the only good thing to happen today. Now Sakura was more or less homeless, and there was no way he would allow her to live his nomadic lifestyle as well, especially after saying more than he had ever intended for her to overhear. If he confronted Aoi and Tohsaka about the situation, what would they do? Take her back, drop her off with some other Magus family?

And speaking of other magi, there was Cypher. The only person in the company of Zouken when he died according to Sakura... which definitely made him the killer of the centuries-old fossil. There was no question, a Magus who could manipulate time definitely wouldn't have any trouble if it came to killing someone who was well past his expiration date. But then, what would Cypher need with Sakura and him? Kariya was so lost in thought that he jumped when Cypher suddenly held out his hand to stop his walking. "We're here."

Kariya looked to where Cypher pointed, and... it was an eerily blue door at the end of an alleyway. He couldn't tell if it was blue from whatever paint was used on it, or if it was the lamp casting another strange light over the door. Maybe it was the day's events, maybe it was all the walking, but even the sight of the door seemed to make Kariya's mind feel at ease. He shook his head and got himself together to ask Cypher, "Where is 'here'? Some blue door at the end of an alley?"

Cypher turned to Kariya (who finally noticed that Cypher had a very unique set of eyes. One blue, and one red) and smiled. "'Here', young Kariya, is one of the finest dining institutions that I know of. I thought we could talk about the current situation over dinner, all three of us. If it's not any trouble to either of you, and of course I will be covering the expenses." With another light bow toward Sakura and Kariya, he held his right arm out towards the alleyway to let them proceed ahead of him. Resigned to whatever was in store for them, Kariya walked down the alley with Sakura behind him. As he turned the knob and opened the door, he thought, 'Nothing else could possibly shock him at this point, right?'

_"Wel~come to the Velvet Room."_

A pair of bugged out eyes and a seriously long nose proved him wrong.

Standing by the door was an old man with a piercing, almost omniscient gaze. He was hunched over, wearing a tuxedo and his hand looked like it was always primed and ready to fiddle with that handkerchief in his shirt pocket but never really getting around to it. The old man looked at Kariya, then his gaze wandered over to Sakura who was understandably scared and hiding behind Kariya's legs. With a creepy giggle, he asked them, "Will it be a party of two then, young man?"

"Make it three, Igor." At the sound of Cypher's voice, the old man known as Igor seemed to giggle in an even higher pitch now. "Oh, Lord Cypher! Such an honor it is, to be in your presence! I was wondering how these two talented individuals had found the door." Igor clapped his hands twice, and a woman in a blue gown practically materialized out of thin air. "Margaret here will show you where you will be seated and take your orders when you are ready."

While Kariya and Sakura followed the woman to a table, Cypher seemed to remember something and turned back to the doorway. "Igor, old friend, if you do not mind, may I...?" Igor giggled again and replied, "But of course, Lord Cypher. Imagine if you didn't, and we closed the door? Oh imagine indeed, what the consequences could be!" Cypher chuckled at that, and raised his right hand and finally snapped his fingers.

He didn't know how, but as he was getting seated, Kariya felt it. He turned to the doorway, and he could see that time was finally unfrozen. People were walking past the alleyway, the lights were normal again- and did he just hear an explosion far off in the distance? Igor closed the door as Cypher walked to their table and took his seat. Kariya was about to say something when Cypher held up his hand to stop him. "All in good time, Young Kariya. Let us at least order our dinner before discussing the situation, hmm?"

* * *

Old Man Acht stood alone in the Einzbern Chapel. He preferred to keep it dark, only allowing the outside light to come through the stain-glassed windows and illuminate the setting. He looked at the case that he had placed on the altar and breathed a heavy sigh. Cypher's visit, and the news that had followed shortly after, were weighing heavily on his mind, and cautionary action needed to be taken if they were going to win the 4th Holy Grail War.

Acht walked to the podium and opened the book he had placed on it. Blank again. Acht was not one to dwell on the past, particularly when his own was filled with a darkness that no one should bear on their shoulders. Casting aside any doubtful thoughts in his heart, he stood up straight, placed his left hand on the first blank page, and began to relive his memories again:

_Jubstacheit von Einzbern wasn't a terribly religious man. As the head of a magus family that regularly performed such acts as alchemy and crafting sentient humanoid beings, he highly doubted that the general religious populace would have any reaction that wasn't taking torches and pitchforks to their chapel. Magic was all well and good if recorded in texts of the long-gone past and judged as miracles of God. To see it as a utility at the hands of magi would be complete sacrilege. All the better for the world of magi to conceal themselves and their secrets from a world that would abuse and persecute them._

_Then the Third War happened. He was faced with the terrible truth that Demons from Hell do exist, and they wasted no time in tearing all that his family had to ruin and mocking their preconceptions. Countless Fiends destroying his home and all he had fought for, their demon henchmen raping and eviscerating his family, homunculi and humans both victim to their savagery._

_The Mother Harlot was still cackling to the sky, wearing the face of the Grail on her skull when she suddenly turned. The next thing Acht knew, The Harlot raised her goblet to the sky and was bathed in a tornado of thunder and lightning. Her red eyes took one last look into his as she vanished back to where she came from, along with her seven-headed beast._

_By the time the other fiends noticed the disappearance of their master, the sky looked as if it had suddenly erupted into an inferno. Acht looked up and beheld an angel. It had blue skin and golden hair, and was garbed in a red gown with a cruciform in the center and a sword in its right hand. Behind the main angel were countless others, with red armor and helmets, and wielding spears in their right hand and a shield with an octopus design in their left hand._

_The demons shouted war cries as they leaped towards the sky to face their new enemy. The blue-skinned angel merely swung his sword to point at the opposing forces, and then it was as if fire rained down from the Heavens._

_Raising its right arm, the chief angel swung its sword down and banished the flames from the battlefield. With its wings flapping slightly, the angel came down to hover over Acht before pointing its sword at his throat. Acht's eyes met the angel's own green, emotionless eyes, and he braced himself-_

_"Uriel! It is not his appointed time to die."_

_The angel called Uriel turned around to the one who had spoken, a man in a white suit, and said in a robotic voice, "Understood, General Thorman." Looking to the sky, Uriel disappeared into a pillar of light and the divine cavalry followed, each one looking like a stream of red light that followed the white one. The inferno in the clouds subsided, and as the angels ascended to the Heavens, it was like the stars had returned to light the darkness. Acht looked down to see that the General had walked up to him._

_"Well well, to think that by fighting one war, we would stumble onto another..."_

The doors of Einzbern Chapel opened with a loud and extended creaking. It was enough to awaken Acht from his trance, and he lifted his hand off of the book. Ever since the unexpected meeting with Cypher, Acht had devised something of a security measure in order to keep from being caught unaware again while retracing his past. Outside of the half-second where he needed to regain his situational awareness, he was quite pleased to note that it worked. Squinting his eyes (more than usual, anyway), he saw two people enter and walk down the aisle. Excellent, right on schedule.

If Kiritsugu Emiya was troubled by this summons, he didn't let it show. He wore the same stoic, impartial expression that he always did on his face, with empty eyes and not a single crack near the edges of his mouth. He wore a black suit ensemble under a trench coat, which even now made him stand out compared to anyone else who inhabited the Einzbern home.

The woman walking beside Kiritsugu was practically his opposite in every way. She wore a white dress to his black clothes, had vibrant red eyes and long white hair compared to his empty black ones and scruffy black hair, and her face was expressing some concern at the situation while he looked like he couldn't care less. The frown turned into a smile as Irisviel von Einzbern reached the end of the aisle with her husband to answer her great-grandfather's summons.

Kiritsugu and Irisviel both knelt down and bowed to Acht as he stood in front of the altar, holding a long case in his right hand. "Kiritsugu Emiya... Irisviel... You have done great work in our quest for the recovery of the Heaven's Feel. I have called the two of you here because recent events have come to my attention, and they require immediate action"

"Yesterday, we detected a massive spike in our mana readings at Matou Manor in Fuyuki City. A few hours later, another spike was detected in the Tohsaka family home as well. The only logical activity that could have come from this is a Servant summoning. We are a year away from the 4th War, and the other two Founding Families don't seem to be taking any chances."

"As the last Founding Family of the Holy Grail War, we will not take chances either," Acht said as he let the long case rest against the altar. He unclasped the latches and opened it up to reveal what was inside. A massive golden scabbard, decorated in blue enamel, rested in the velvet of the case. The air in the chapel seemed to become purified by the very presence of the hallowed artifact.

"Avalon, excavated from Cornwall, origin unknown. The only known relic we have found that will bring us assured victory in the 4th Holy Grail War." Acht turned to the man in the black suit. "Kiritsugu Emiya, you shall be the Master of King Arthur himself, and you will summon him tonight. You could not possibly ask for a finer weapon to wield in your mission to reclaim the Heaven's Feel for us."

"... If you have something on your mind, Kiritsugu, now is the time to say it."

Kiritsugu scoffed in his head at that. Sure, he had something on his mind. A Servant like King Arthur was far from the best fit for him. The logical fit would be to the Saber class, one who was naturally suited to direct combat on the battlefield, whereas his own tactics relied on stealth action from the shadows. The legendary King's code of honor would undoubtedly clash with his brand of justice as well, even if the King embraced Kiritsugu's end goal of world salvation.

All that said (or thought, rather, because it was all thoughts that swam in his head), Kiritsugu knew better than to look a gift horse from Acht in the mouth. At the least, this news of summoning activity at the other Family homes explained why Assassin was an impossible option now anyway. In the end, they still had a powerful Servant bolstered by the legendary artifact Avalon. "There is nothing to be said, Old Man. I only have my gratitude for such a Servant to wield in the upcoming War," Kiritsugu said. Acht simply nodded at that, while Irisviel gave her husband a small but no less delightful smile.

"I will vacate this chapel shortly and order the others to leave it to you for the Summoning tonight, Kiritsugu. That will be all for you," Acht said as Kiritsugu nodded and got up to leave. Irisviel was starting to leave with her husband when Acht raised his hand to stop her. "Irisviel, I have something to talk about with you. Alone."

* * *

It turned out that Igor was far from the strangest thing that Kariya saw. Throughout the evening, Kariya had tried to get the conversation going with Cypher but was interrupted every time by the staff bringing the next course. The Velvet Room was comprised of several bizarre creatures, each of whom had a hand in making a particular dish. The most worrying was the one-legged metallic being who kept holding onto a large hammer and pair of tongs, and was apparently responsible for the delicious leg of lamb that they had eaten.

Perhaps the most pleasantly surprising part of the evening was how animated Sakura was compared to her timid silence earlier in the day. Every time a new demon arrived with a dish, she happily thanked them for the meal and even struck up a conversation or two with them. Kariya was about to remind her of dinner etiquette, but kept his mouth shut when he considered the possibility that these may be the first time that she had felt welcome someplace other than the Tohsaka household that she used to call home.

He still had reservations about how friendly she got on with the one-legged, hammer-wielding butcher of a cook.

By the time the ice cream dessert arrived, Kariya decided that enough was enough and he turned to Cypher and spoke up. "Listen, Mr. Cypher. I'm extremely grateful for what you've done today, and I'm sure Sakura is too. That said, all the hospitality in the world can't change the fact that neither of the two of us know who you are, so I think now's the time for your explanation of today's events." It had to be said, Kariya thought, even if he was a total incompetent in the field of magic and he was pressing the matter to someone who had the power to kill Zouken and stop time itself.

Almost immediately, Kariya wished that he had just put his foot in his mouth instead. Cypher blinked once, and Kariya felt like his mind was slowly being pried opened, as if it was a massive dictionary that was slowly and agonizingly having its pages turned. The little snowman that had delivered the dessert was trembling in fear, and was he actually starting to melt? Sakura looked up from her ice cream, to Kariya and then to Cypher.

Noticing Sakura's gaze on him, Cypher sat up straight and chuckled as the mind-probing sensation left Kariya and he gasped for breath. The little snowman bolted right back to the kitchen, anguished cries of "Hee Ho~!" following in his wake. "Very well, Young Kariya. In my life's experience, I've observed that the power of explanation can end in good and ill for others, so I hope you can eventually forgive my hesitation," Cypher said. He drank another sip of red wine from his glass, then he began:

_My name is merely Cypher, the 'Mr.' is not necessary. I'm an old acquaintance of the Tohsaka family, since the days of the Third Holy Grail War when they ultimately ended up at their weakest. I gave my word to the family head at the time that I would watch over his descendants, which brings us to today's events._

_You see, Tokiomi Tohsaka, the current head of the family and Sakura's biological father, had not intended to have a second daughter. After all, a Magus can only have a single heir to their legacy, their Magic Crest. Any children afterward are doomed to have no future in the world of Magi, save for one as breeding material._

_The moment Zouken had merely presented the idea of adopting Sakura, Tokiomi seized it without hesitation. I understood that it was in part to honor the covenant between the two families that was established some time ago, but I couldn't understand why Tokiomi would be so eager to give anything to the demon that Zouken had become._

_So, I went to confront Zouken myself. I believe I made it in time, he was about to begin his... personal brand of Magus training with Sakura when I arrived. I had only my suspicions, but merely standing in front of the entrance to the cellar confirmed my fears of the fate that had almost tainted Sakura. I promptly sent her away to the outside of the mansion as I prepared to talk to Zouken. I believe that was when you arrived, Young Kariya._

_I had thought Tokiomi Tohsaka was fairly stubborn in his adherence to the customs of a Magus, but Zouken was absolutely mad. He wouldn't hear a single word of reason, nor anything against his methods or morals. In desperation, he sent his familiars to kill, so I reacted in self-defense. Anything other than a fatal blow wouldn't stop him, so I had no choice but to take his life._

Having concluded his explanation, Cypher drank some more red wine to clear his throat as he glanced at his audience. Sakura had tried to keep herself occupied with her dessert, but at the halfway point it was left to slowly melt. Kariya's dessert was untouched from the first word uttered, and now what looked like a swirly smiley face was looking up at his shocked face. He didn't notice the anomaly at all as he put his head in his hands and tried to make sense of what he'd just learned.

"Tokiomi... You knew? You knew what Zouken was and still, you gave him your daughter?" Kariya whispered to himself. He was starting to hyperventilate now, and Sakura was at a loss as to what to do. Cypher just lifted his wine glass off the table and drained the rest in one gulp. "Aoi... I wanted to believe... That you saw something in him that I didn't... Some bit of goodness beyond the Magus that he was..." Kariya caught his breath and made sure he looked all right. Sakura was looking down now, while Cypher was looking at him.

Clearing his throat, Kariya hesitantly asked, "So... is that it then?" Cypher merely continued to stare at him, so Kariya pressed on. "I mean, you killed Zouken, a centuries-old being that is the closest thing I've ever known to be a Vampire, ultimately because you disagreed with Tokiomi giving him Sakura? What now, you take her in for yourself and teach her your brand of Magecraft?"

Of all the responses that Kariya expected, laughter was nowhere on the list. It was so jarring, everybody in the Velvet Room was staring at Cypher as he tried to regain his composure. "My- my apologies, Young Kariya. In the day's excitement, I thought I had made it clear but I must have overlooked it. You see, by your standards, I am not what you would call a Magus."

Cypher went on, "A Magus is one whose practiced arts are against the laws of the World, ephemeral yet all the more amazing for what they accomplish, yes?" Kariya nodded, his eyes unblinking as he listened to Cypher continuing his explanation. "What I do is not Magecraft at all. Simply put, I impose my will upon the World, and the World gets out of the way."

"I killed Zouken because his intentions for Sakura were a terrible mistake. Sakura has potential to go beyond the Five Elements that Magi have practiced. Tokiomi must have known such a thing, yet he still gave her to the old man. Perhaps he fears the power that Sakura could possibly wield and meant to engineer her destruction? We may never know," Cypher concluded, as he nodded to a pale-skinned maid who proceeded to clear their table.

The three of them got up to leave the table, and Kariya noticed two things:

1. There had been a very happy face staring up at him from the melted dessert dish that looked way too much like the snowman who had served them.

2. Cypher didn't receive a bill at all for the evening's dinner. Must be nice to be so rich, Kariya thought to himself.

For some reason, Kariya got the sensation that Cypher had been looking right at him as he thought that second point, so he turned to look at the other man who merely chuckled. "Now I have a question for the two of you, Sakura and Young Kariya," Cypher said as they neared the exit. "Unfortunately, due to today's events, the repairman will be busy renovating Matou Manor until further notice. Would you be comfortable with the notion of staying at my home for the meantime?"

As much as he wanted to be able to decline, Kariya's mind instantly flashed to the den of misery that was his single-room apartment and he immediately knew what his answer was. "If it's not any trouble at all, please allow us to stay at your home for the time being, Cypher," Kariya said with a light bow. Sakura imitated the bow as Kariya did his, and Cypher nodded.

"Um... Kariya-ojisan... Cypher-san," Sakura hesitantly looked up at the two men and asked, "Can I say Goodbye to everybody in Velvet Room before we go?" Kariya didn't quite know how to respond, aside from a shrug of assent as he looked to the other man. Cypher knelt down so he would be facing her directly and replied, "You don't have to say Goodbye, Sakura. If you would like, I can teach you so you can meet everybody here again, whenever and wherever you want. How does that sound?"

Sakura had never looked happier to Kariya, but what surprised him even more was when she turned to him and asked, "Can I? Kariya-ojisan, can I learn?" Kariya was dumbstruck, but he really shouldn't have felt so foolish. He was the closest thing to a chaperone or guardian that she had now, after all. With that thought in his heart, he answered, "Well I don't see why not. All the same, Sakura-chan, it's proper etiquette to say your farewells to everybody in Velvet Room now, hmm?"

Sakura nodded and ran right back into the restaurant, past a flustered but no less cheery Igor. When he was fairly sure that Sakura couldn't hear, Kariya turned to Cypher and asked, "What was that just now? You say you're not a Magus yet you're about to teach her something to do with meeting these people again? Is this related to her Element or whatever it's called?"

Cypher simply smiled and replied, "Sakura's Element has no true name. It is sometimes given a classification by Magi attempting to grasp its concept in their studies, either Shadow or Imaginary Numbers. The designation is irrelevant, what matters is that it allows her to bind and discern that which is considered alien to this world. Even you, as one who left the Path of a Magus, must have felt it throughout the evening."

Kariya couldn't deny it. Between the one-legged blacksmith cook, the snowman that handed them their dessert, the bug-eyed and long-nosed old man at the door of the Velvet Room and his attendant, and the countless other beings who dined or worked there... They all felt alien, and yet they also felt familiar. "It's like they're... fairy tale creatures or characters from the old stories that I remember studying," Kariya almost whispered as the thought crossed his mind.

Cypher nodded. "Very astute, Young Kariya. They are beings born of the many collected thoughts and wishes of Man. Whether they are worshipped or reviled, they will answer the call of anyone who is worthy to wield their power." Almost immediately, Kariya's head turned at that line, and Cypher nodded again. "Yes, Young Kariya. They are Demons, and Sakura... She will be the greatest Demon Summoner that the world has ever known."

* * *

He didn't let it get to him at first. When they were investigating the wreckage at Matou Manor, he put on an authoritative face as usual, and his disappointment that Zouken's magecraft archives had perished along with him was certainly genuine. It was ruled that a defective gas line had unexpectedly detonated underneath the mansion and thus it exploded. Nobody asked any questions afterward, because nobody knew that anybody even lived in the mansion anyway.

Nobody but him.

He didn't let it show, but he looked for any sign of the girl that had been his daughter. The lingering traces of Sakura Matou's od started and ended at the wreckage site, which could only mean one thing. It wasn't what he had wanted by any means, but any fate was better than what would have definitely happened to Sakura if she had remained in the Tohsaka family. So when his wife and daughter asked what had happened, he told the truth. Matou Manor had just exploded, and the whereabouts of Zouken and Sakura Matou were unknown.

When his wife stared at him, utterly speechless and wide-eyed, he didn't crack. When his daughter was teary-eyed for the entire evening until after dinner where she let it all out in her bedroom, he still didn't crack. He was the Tohsaka Family Head, Supervisor of Fuyuki City and one of the strongest Magi about to participate in the Holy Grail War. He shut it all down within him and didn't let it out, even when he went to bed for the night.

But now...

"You can let him go now, Uncle Red."

The massive reptilian demon withdrew his pitchfork from the ground, and Tokiomi Tohsaka finally caught his breath. He slowly turned himself over to face the ground but didn't get on his feet. It wasn't for lack of energy, but lack of will. The eerie giggles had faded from the wasteland long ago, but they were still ringing in his head. He looked up and saw the dead body of his daughter Rin laying flat on the ground, the two giants and the little girl standing around it as they studied it like crows around carrion.

For the first time that he could possibly remember, Tokiomi broke down. Countless memories that he had trained himself to never pay any thought began to flood his mind. His two daughters returning to the Tohsaka Mansion after an action-packed day in the New Years Festival, tired but beyond happiness... The first time that Rin had successfully charged a crystal with prana... And just days ago, the last time he saw Sakura and the hug that she had given him though he hadn't asked for it... Tears were falling in earnest. He couldn't stop it even if he tried. Now he was Tokiomi Tohsaka, the man who had lost his two daughters.

"Don't cry, Mr. Tohsaka."

Tokiomi looked up at the girl called Alice, who had walked up to him while he was wallowing in his sorrow. Her smile was sweet, though her eyes were completely impossible to reconcile with any sense of humanity, and Rin's body had, for lack of a better term, dangled over to stand nearby as if controlled by a puppeteer. True enough, "Uncle Black" had his right hand out with his strings still connected to Rin's body, while the other giant stood next to him.

"Don't cry, Mr. Tohsaka, because there's nothing to be sad about," Alice said as she curtsied to the clueless Tokiomi. "Rin died for me, just as she agreed to upon our contract. I'll make sure to have all the fun I can get out of her, you have my word on that." Every word was tinged with a sweetness that was utterly inappropriate to the situation at hand. Alice bowed as she bade her farewell to this unlikely benefactor, "Thank you very much for your daughter, Mr. Tohsaka, and good b-"

With blinding speed, a hand reached out and seized Alice by her throat. If anybody was being said, it didn't register as anything but the buzzing of bees or any other useless insect to Tokiomi Tohsaka. His eyes were completely dry, as if his tears had evaporated from the fury that was now evident on his face, and his mind was completely clear now as he looked into the unnatural and fearful eyes of the girl- no, the demon called Alice that he had by the throat.

The demon that made a contract with Rin.

"You will release my daughter immediately, demon."

That same demon, in his clutches.

"Let her go, now."

He could fix this.

"UNHAND MS. ALICE THIS INSTANT!"

With that mighty bellow, "Uncle Black"- no, Tokiomi knew with a single glance that this one was called Nebiros- the demon called Nebiros charged and sent out another batch of possession threads at his enemy. Tokiomi threw Alice aside and planted his feet on the ground, charging his entire body with prana. He let his left arm get caught by the threads, twisted it around to seize control, and pulled Nebiros towards himself.

Then, charging his right arm with dangerous levels of prana, he lunged forward and didn't punch so much as embed his right fist down Nebiros' throat through his mouth. He opened his fist within and found that he had enough room to move his fingers, which was appropriate given what he was about to do. His mind was clearer than it had ever been this night, just as he had trained himself to be as he began to chant. The frightened and frenzied cries of horror from the demon girl didn't register at all, and his eyes began to glow an unnatural blue...

Nebiros, for his part, only had himself to blame. He had underestimated this human, merely intending to bind him and let his Ms. Alice deal with the situation as she usually did to the other impertinent, lesser mortals that challenged her might. He tried to bite down on his opponent's arm, sever it from the elbow down with one bite, but Tokiomi's reinforcement made such attempts futile. Nebiros might have gone peacefully if he had simply succumbed to the pain. Instead, he tried in desperation to untangle himself from Tokiomi as the Magus finished his chant with three simple words:

**_Baptism By Thunder_**

Nebiros was fried with divine lightning from the inside out, and with a clench of his fist within Nebiros' throat, Tokiomi made his enemy explode with extreme prejudice. The remains of Nebiros were incinerated into dust as they flew apart, bathing Tokiomi and the surrounding area with soot. Rin's body fell to the ground, like a puppet that had its strings cut. Alice, for lack of a better description, was freaking out, with anguished cries of "Uncle Black!" mixed in at random with her shouts of disbelief and horror. "Uncle Red"- Tokiomi instantly identified him as Belial- was already moving.

Belial lunged with his pitchfork straight ahead, ready to impale Tokiomi- who still had prana running through his body as he sidestepped the pitchfork and grabbed onto it with both arms. He pulled it towards himself with more strength than either party could have expected, but had precisely planned for. As Belial flew toward Tokiomi, he opened his mouth wide and dug into the earth with his right arm to stop himself. With a shout- "GOMORRAH FIRE"- an inferno erupted from his mouth and bathed Tokiomi in its incinerating might.

Moments later, the inferno seemed to bend and distort oddly, then it was suddenly sucked into a swirling vacuum. At the center was Tokiomi, still holding Belial's pitchfork in his left hand while spinning a spear made of fire with his right. Having absorbed the entire attack with his improvised shield, the only damage left to report was a slightly singed suit.

(Yes, he went to bed without changing out of his suit. He's like that.)

Tokiomi threw his fire spear at Belial, but the demon let it wash over and absorbed it into himself. Belial was a demon that could absorb fire, after all. What it couldn't absorb, however, was metal, which was what his pitchfork was made of. He was very painfully reminded of this when Tokiomi took advantage of his distraction and spun the massive thing around and above him to face the demon and impaled him with it. With the skills of an Olympic pole vaulter, he pushed with all his might to stick the pitchfork into the ground, trapping Belial as well, and vaulted himself into the air.

Tokiomi Tohsaka was, in his opinion, only barely an above-average Magus. His extra-curricular training aside, his Element was Fire which made Magecraft useless in taking Belial down. As he soared higher into the air, his mind raced through his repertoire of combat knowledge, and he deduced that nothing but a particular Air-to-Surface attack from an absurdly high altitude would wipe the demon out in one stroke. He began to charge, then overcharge his body to gather the energy required, and noticed that he was soaring even higher still.

How thankful he was, that the sky of the chaotic battlefield, like the sky back home, had no limits.

Before long, a shining star began to come down. Alice was trapped between wonder and horror at the inevitable fate of her last remaining guardian. Belial struggled in vain to escape his own weapon, and resigned himself to his fate at the sight of his impending doom. Something in the body of Rin Tohsaka could see the light. What it saw wasn't Tokiomi Tohsaka, in fact it was something that the presence had never laid eyes on before: It was a sword, plummeting from the Heavens to smite the wicked and banish them to the pits of utter blackness.

With one strike, the only strike that was needed, Tokiomi impacted on the ground and eradicated Belial, his pitchfork, and the sound barrier. His one attack sent out a massive shock-wave with so much force, it banished the chaotic atmosphere in one sweep. The thunder retreated into the clouds, and the clouds parted to reveal a starry sky. A Full Moon illuminated the silent battlefield, emanating light with an eerie, almost conscious presence. Tokiomi slowly got up and started to walk towards the demon girl known as Alice.

Alice tripped over her own feet retreating backward, her nose runny and face wet with her own tears as her pitiful whispers for her "Uncle Red" and "Uncle Black" went unheard. Her arms gave out as she tried in vain to crawl backward, and Tokiomi closed in on her in no time. It almost seemed comically nostalgic to him, as he grabbed the demon girl by the throat and lifted her off the ground until her feet were dangling uselessly in the air.

"W-why? Why did you k- kill them?" Alice struggled to get her question out as she gasped for air. Tokiomi's face betrayed no sympathy as he replied, "You killed my daughter, demon. If I kill you now, then I can get her back before it's too late." Alice tried to pull her head loose from Tokiomi's death grip, but she couldn't do it even with her own hands. The most she was able to accomplish was pushing her head upward so now the death grip completely enveloped her neck, but now she could look back at her executioner.

"P-Please, don't- Please don't kill me-"

Her eyes were full of tears again, and suddenly the eyes glowed red-

**"JUST DIE FOR ME!"**

The sudden yell echoed in the quiet and dark canyon. Alice was panting for breath, and Tokiomi... He reached out with his other hand and grabbed onto Alice's right arm. Ignoring her panicked pleas, he ripped her arm out of her body and tossed it aside.

**"DIE FOR ME!"**

Her left arm, this time.

**"DI- DIE FOR ME!"**

This time, her right leg, slightly harder than an arm, he noted.

**"DIE!- JUST DIE- DIIIEEEEE!"**

And finally her left leg.

After tossing it down, Tokiomi threw the demon Alice onto the ground, and she landed face first. Alice shouted and cried, her deranged pleas for Tokiomi to die for her falling to the wayside as he bent down and collected the unresponsive body of his daughter. All around him, he noticed that the sky began to shiver, and the ground was starting to quake as well. He walked back to the bloodied, limbless demon who was now sobbing without restraint.

Alice managed to turn her head to look at Tokiomi right as he brought his foot down on her head. She gasped for air as the sand gathered in her mouth, and she coughed as she struggled to ask in between sobs, "Why... why won't you die for me?" Tokiomi said nothing, he merely looked at her the same way that a normal person would be disgusted at the sight of a disemboweled and twitching cockroach. Alice watched as Tokiomi took his foot off her head... but kept it above her head, and she noticed that his entire body was crackling with energy now, and Rin, her new best friend, was smiling-

The last sound that echoed in the wasteland was a sickening crunch of meat and bone. With that, the sky shattered like a looking glass struck by a sledgehammer. Tokiomi looked up and saw that tunnel of blinding lights that he had entered through before, sucking up the sky and the canyon around him. He held onto the motionless husk that was his beloved daughter Rin, and jumped up. He left the realm of chaos as Tokiomi Tohsaka, the Head of the Tohsaka Family, Supervisor of Fuyuki City, Magi of the Fourth Holy Grail War...

and First Lieutenant of the Messian Forces.

...

Aoi didn't know what to do. After 5 agonizing minutes of silence, she had gone down to the cellar only to find that not only was her daughter not there, neither was her husband who had only spoken to her minutes ago. She cursed her uselessness as the mere wife of a Magus, without any knowledge of Magecraft nor the means to even perform it. The seconds that passed by felt like hours as she sat on the bottom of the stairs not knowing what to expect.

Suddenly, with a sound that made her feel like her ears popped twice, Tokiomi appeared from out of nowhere, landing from mid-air onto the ground with their daughter Rin in his arms. For a moment he was in a daze, but he immediately snapped out of it once he recognized his surroundings. He turned to his wife and said urgently, "Aoi, hold her." The moment Rin changed hands, Tokiomi was instantly on his feet searching the wreckage of his workshop for something.

"Rin, it's Mama. It's your Mama, I'm here, I-" Aoi suddenly stopped speaking to her daughter, too bothered by the fact that her eyes were wide open and she was unresponsive. Aoi reached for Rin's arm, but her hand flinched back from merely grazing her cold skin. "To- Tokiomi, why is she so cold?" Rin wasn't just cold, she was pale and getting paler with every passing second. Her limbs were getting stiffer, to the point where Aoi couldn't hold her and laid her flat on the ground.

Tokiomi cursed his family luck as he overturned piles of wrecked wood and came up with nothing. The twisted remains of metal ornaments that he had collected only added to his frustration. If he wasn't going to use them, why collect them-! No, calm down. Tokiomi stopped himself, and rather than search for it with his eyes, he felt out for it with his prana, hand outstretched... and from the other side of the room, it burst from a pile of debris and flew towards him-

She didn't want to believe it. She had lost Sakura already, Rin couldn't have- Aoi reached out, but couldn't bring herself to touch Rin's arm to feel a pulse. She couldn't have- It was impossible. Tokiomi swore, he swore that he wouldn't let anything happen to Rin! She mustered up her courage and bent over to press her ear against Rin's heart. Nothing.

Tokiomi almost tripped when his wife suddenly screamed. She lunged for him, looking completely hysterical and sounding it as she kept crying out, "SHE'S NOT BREATHING! TOKIOMI! SHE'S NOT BREATHING!" Tokiomi had to drag Aoi with him as he knelt down to where Rin was on the floor, and he pocketed what he had found before turning to his sobbing wife. He held her in his arms and urgently said, "Aoi, I have to act now if we're going to help Rin. I need you to hold her down and open her mouth for her, I'm afraid she can't do it herself at the moment. Can you do that for her?"

Aoi nodded as she tried to catch her breath, and Tokiomi turned to Rin's body as he extracted the object from his pocket. Aoi held back her tears as much as she could, and tried to ignore how cold Rin's lips were to her touch as she gently pried Rin's mouth open. She held on as she noticed the object that Tokiomi was dangling carefully over Rin's mouth. He had found a crystal attached to a chain, a crystal that was glowing with so much energy, even she could tell that it was filled to the brim and fit to burst.

Suddenly, Tokiomi began chanting. It was spoken so quietly and so fast that Aoi couldn't understand specifically what was being said, but she recognized it. It was among the things that he had learned when he went to train under the man that he called General Thorman. With each line that was spoken, she also noticed something change with the crystal. Each jagged edge seem to straighten out at each word, and with each passing line, a face of the crystal seemed to fold into itself.

Tokiomi spoke faster and faster, and the crystal became smaller and smaller. Aoi tried to shut it out of her mind, but she couldn't help but notice that Rin was also getting even colder, if it were possible. Finally, the object folded into itself so much, it ceased to resemble a crystal. It was a drop of the purest, most holy liquid that she had ever laid eyes on. With a final utterance of unknown words, the drop fell into Rin's mouth.

The cellar was silent. Aoi had let go of their daughter's mouth when the drop went in, and Tokiomi set the chain aside. Aoi was starting to cough from forgetting to breathe from the tension, and Tokiomi couldn't help but think, in the back of his mind, Did he fail? Did he forget a single word, and it was all for nothing? Suddenly, Rin's body shook. Tokiomi shouted as he lunged forward, "Hold her down!" Aoi was confused, but before he could say or do anymore, he was thrown back and someone screamed.

"NOOO! NOOOO!" Rin was shrieking, her eyes filled with complete terror as she thrashed and struck at what she thought were invisible demons that were harming her yet. Aoi leapt forward and caught her daughter in her arms, hugging her for dear life as she endured Rin's thrashing and chaotic tantrum. "Rin, it's okay! Mama's here, mama's here, Rin! Listen to me, it's your mama!" She cried out... and Rin stopped screaming.

"... Mama?"

Her eyes were still wide open, but Rin... she saw again. She felt her body ache as she pushed back, her sight returned to her eyes, and they welled up with tears the moment she recognized her mother. Rin leapt into her mama's arms, her head burrowing into her mother's shoulder as she sobbed and coughed and breathed and was alive again. Aoi hugged her beloved daughter in turn, calming her down and feeling her daughter's every pulse, every shiver and the warmth that was growing throughout her small body.

Tokiomi groaned as he got up from the ground. The sound of Rin's voice, even though she was sobbing and catching her breath and apologizing to her mama and papa, it was like nectar to him. He pushed himself up off the ground, and felt himself smile for the first time in so long- and then he flinched as he drew his left hand back. He must have accidentally cut himself on some shards of glass, he thought as he looked down at-

Obsidian black, with traces of blood red at certain angles of light. If it wasn't the sight of it, it was the stench that it gave that tipped him off. He knew this smell better than anybody. Ever since his first days of training under General Thorman, he was told to imprint every single detail of the Deathstone into his brain. Knowledgeable as he was of the material, he never owned a single piece of it, for this was the very object that led to the death of his ancestor, 59 years ago.

The "Gift"... from the man called Cypher.


	3. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I would like to think that, by nature of the format with which I am spinning this yarn, I would not have to say this. On the other hand, best to err on the side of caution. Therefore, I am stating here that I do not own any of the properties that this story is based on, such as Type-Moon and nitroplus's Fate/Zero light novels and ATLUS's Shin Megami Tensei video game series.

* * *

"I won't lose this time!"

Kiritsugu Emiya couldn't help but chuckle as his daughter Ilyasviel von Einzbern intently surveyed the forest around them. It had been a long while since he had enough free time to spend with his family in between little jobs here and there. That Ilyasviel (or Ilya for short) still remembered the last time they played the game "Find the Walnut Buds" and the way it ended with her bitter defeat... Well, it was better than what he could remember from getting knocked out cold by his own daughter.

Apparently the "awesome punch" that Ilya decked him with was worthy of recording into the annals of Einzbern history. According to Iri, anyway.

A sudden cry of "I found one!" snapped Kiritsugu out of his reverie to rush along to his daughter's side. "Well? I'm right, right? This is a walnut bud, right?" Ilya could barely contain her excitement as she asked her father. Bouncing up and down at the spot, she was perfectly dressed to combat the deadly winter in her purple winter gear, complete with purple winter hat. She looked like a violet Moh Shuvuu, Kiritsugu would have to be careful with how he'd explain the find to her or else she could act like one too...

"Well, I'm afraid to say that this isn't a walnut bud, Ilya, but a wingnut bud," Kiritsugu said as he cautiously chose his words. Ilya's expression wasn't one of boundless glee now, but one of patient scrutiny, the way a hawk would stare down its prey as it tries to find its one avenue of escape. "Now now, Ilya, the wingnut bud _is_ a cousin to the walnut bud so I _could_ count it as a point for you, but wouldn't that be cheating?"

Ilya wasn't saying anything, but her right hand seemed to be glowing for some reason. Oh boy, now it was all coming back to him. This was exactly how he cheated into his win the last time around, and then came the spin, the twirling fire, those Japanese words that he was absolutely sure that he never taught her-

"Okay, Kiritsugu! I want us to play fair, with no cheating, so no wingnuts!" Ilya suddenly piped up, all smiles again. He couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief which only made Ilya giggle more until she sneezed.

Wait.

"Ilya, are you okay? Let's stop the game for today, huh?" Kiritsugu asked as he knelt down to make sure her white scarf wasn't loose. Nope, she was snugly bound, scarf as warm as possible. Kiritsugu suddenly felt the abnormal chill too, and hastily buttoned up his winter coat and pulled his own scarf out of his pocket. "Kiritsugu, it never gets this cold. Let's go home," Ilya pleaded as Kiritsugu nodded and was unrolling his scarf. He was almost done when a strange sound came from a short distance away.

_Hee __Ho__... __Hee __Ho__..._

Out of the end of his scarf, Kiritsugu grabbed his magazine-less Calico M950 and fired the one round in the gun's chamber at the wayward Jack Frost. A bizarre squeal came from its direction, so it had _some_ kind of reaction to the shot. With an instinctive reflex, he grabbed the magazine from his inner-right pocket and immediately loaded his gun as he slowly advanced towards the demon.

"Wait, ple-Hee-ze don't sho-Hoot me!"

"What are you doing here? What is your business here, demon?!" Kiritsugu shouted as clear as he could into the air. What the hell was a demon even doing here? The Einzbern defenses weren't so strong that they could conceivably have holes for a mere Jack Frost to slip through, as much as the environment might be conducive to a random Calling. It didn't matter. Keep the questions as short and concise as possible, then eliminate the demon as soon as your negotiation is done. He kept his gun pointed at the demon as it tried to answer.

"Ple-Hee-ze, I didn't want to come here either! The Head Honch-Hoo threatened me, he said he'd let me live if I just left it here!"

"Left what here? What are you talking about?" Kiritsugu immediately felt a change as soon as the words left his mouth. The blizzard didn't subside, it just stopped. Then, somehow he spotted it. To his left, a short distance away from the cowering Jack Frost, was a flickering light. Suddenly, the snow in the air parted from that light to the Jack Frost, and what looked like razors of wind erupted from the light. With a pitiful "Hee Hooo," the Jack Frost was ripped apart and faded into the blizzard as it kicked back into gear.

_He wasn't entirely correct there. I would have let him live if he just left this here, and kept his little mouth shut!_

Kiritsugu tried to find the source of the voice, but the sound scattered in the wind as the blizzard raged on, and stopped as suddenly as it restarted. Directly in front of Ilya, the snow parted, and this time Kiritsugu could clearly see what was the source of the flickering light. An ornate candelabrum, and the shadow it cast on the ground was of a figure wearing a hat, wielding a sword.

**You feel the presence of a terrifying demon. Will you stay?**

The decision was already made in his mind. Leaping for his daughter while aiming at the shadow of the Candelabrum, Kiritsugu held the trigger down on his Calico semi-auto pistol. His split-second gambit paid off, the shots gradually dissipating the razor wind slashes coming from the otherworldly being. Thankfully the strong blizzard kicked up enough snow to cushion his fall so landing on an off-angle didn't break anything. He quietly thanked Ilya as she helped him to his feet when the demon's cackling echoed throughout the forest.

_Interesting, indeed. Your automatic weapon neutralized my weakest attack. What will you do to this?!_

Kiritsugu reached into his inner jacket pocket again- and couldn't feel anything. Panicked, he looked to the direction he leapt from and saw his spare magazine lying in the snow, split in two with bullets and mechanical parts strewn all over the snow. With only seconds left, feeling the razor wind bearing down on him already from the Candelabrum, he grabbed his daughter, hugged her close to his chest, and charged the prana in his body with all his might.

**_Time Alter: Double Accel!_**

A moment later and they would have been sliced up faster than he could run, but Kiritsugu Emiya wasn't a normal man. He was an Emiya, wielding the Magecraft of Time Manipulation. Kiritsugu ran as fast as he could back to the Einzbern Manor, trees getting chopped up and crashing in his wake as the razor wind went past where he last stood with his daughter- and the trees were slowly catching up to him!

_Not bad, Magus Killer! You continue to impress me, but this is an evasion tactic. Show me your strength!_

The razor wind was turning to catch up with him, slicing up more trees as it continued to pursue Kiritsugu and Ilya. Suddenly Kiritsugu could hear the distortion in the air as it seemed to part behind the two of them and surround them in a wide arc. The next thing he saw, the trees were cut down all around, trapping them in a makeshift arena shaped like a circle. Damn, they were only a few meters away from the Manor too...

_End of the road, Magus Killer. I've seen your passion for retreat, now show me what fire burns within your heart in the heat of battle!_

Kiritsugu wouldn't have hesitated to this challenge if it weren't for a few complications. For one, the demon still hadn't made itself manifest in the real world. If he were to meet this challenge, he would have to go to where the demon resided. The next problem was that outside of his empty Calico M950, the only option he had was to use up more of his Magecraft, with no Mystic Code and only a few grenades to try to help him.

The last factor was... Ilya. He couldn't let her get wrapped up in this no matter what, but there was no way out...

_So be it. Your Holy Grail War has ended before it began, Magus Killer!_

A deafening burst of supersonic wind descended upon the battlefield, and a clash of swords erupted within the span of a half-second. The rest of the trees in the forest burst into splinters, and the snow parted completely from the field where Kiritsugu and Ilya stood, their hearing protected at the last moment by the simple act of covering their ears. The two of them noticed the black-clad woman in front of them, her blonde hair tied in a ponytail a brilliant sword raised in her hand after she deflected the entire force of razor wind away from her Masters.

"Sorry I'm late, Kiritsugu."

* * *

"Call me a repairman, will you..."

Kirei Kotomine heard someone muttering under their breath as he approached what he knew to be the appointed meeting site on the map... even if the site looked like it had just been wiped off the face of the Earth. Recognizing the voice, he changed his cautious stalking to a light jog towards the remains of Matou Manor and called out, "Lord Thorman."

Thorman was brushing rubble out of his hair and off his previously immaculate white suit when his head jerked around towards Kirei. "Ah, Kirei Kotomine. I thought I had called for Tokiomi Tohsaka." The statement from the high-ranking Messian couldn't help but be heard as accusatory, so Kirei bowed as he answered, "The message was successfully received except for the identity of the sender. With that coupled alongside recent events in the family, we both thought it better that I answer in his stead."

There was a low rumble of humor from the giant Thorman as he kicked whatever remains of Matou Manor lay around him and stood up straight. "Now, I meant no offense. Tokiomi Tohsaka is a good mind amongst us Messians, and he has taught you well too. I have always wondered why you never joined with us in your upbringing." As Thorman hemmed and hawed about lost potential, Kirei looked around and assessed the surroundings. Whatever devastated the mansion came from the entrance and expanded outward. Much of the remains that weren't outside seemed to spill into a massive subterranean space that nobody could perceive from the street.

"Excuse me, Thorman, but for what reason did you send that message?" Kirei asked in order to snap Thorman out of his reverie. Thorman led Kirei back towards the wreckage of Matou Manor as he began, "Ah yes... I thought it crucial to relay this information to Tokiomi Tohsaka directly given his actions regarding a certain girl named 'Sakura.' You recall that she was the youngest biological daughter in the Tohsaka family?" Kirei nodded silently, and Thorman continued, "It was a recent development, to let the Matou family head, Zouken Matou, adopt the girl into his family for whatever ends they imagined."

Kirei let that thought linger in his head. Certainly, the practices of magi regarding family didn't seem discernible through the lenses of conventional societal practices. He could only think of high-ranking social castes or cultures with arranged marriage practices, or even governmental laws decreeing limits on one's offspring according to gender. Even so, with what Tokiomi had taught him, he didn't know offhand why Sakura had been handed off, and ultimately it wasn't his business to know so he never asked. Instead, he asked Thorman the question that had been hanging ever since he stepped foot on the property: "Where is the Matou family head now?"

"Zouken Matou is dead, of that much I am certain. The traces left of the means behind his destruction were quite powerful. I was unable to apprehend the one behind the assassination, but it seems that my actions still bore some discoveries of their own." Thorman saw no change of expression on Kirei's face, and continued, "All that remains of Zouken now is a set of tangled old robes in the rubble, and his legacy which I am about to show you." The two of them carefully walked across the rubble until they found a set of stairs that led down, and slowly descended into what must have been the basement of Matou Manor.

The stairs seemed to end several feet up from the bottom of the basement, and what remained there said enough to Kirei. Countless dead abominations flooded the space. The remains of the worm-like demons that weren't crushed by the debris from the mansion were slowly crumbling into dust. Even a magus-in-training like Kirei could get a sense of what was going on here. "Magatama... Zouken was harboring demons underneath our noses?"

"Yes and no," Thorman began to explain. "These creatures bear some similarities to Magatama, manifestations of demon essence, but they have something more. I noticed the same traces of prana in what was left of Zouken's clothes. It seems he was doing some kind of experimentation regarding Magatama and the Matou family's own type of Magecraft, and might have been for decades now. I tried to find any traces of Sakura's presence here, but to no avail. I might have assumed the worst, that she was victim to a dark ritual, if I didn't confront the one that revealed the rest of the puzzle."

With nothing left to observe in the basement, Thorman led Kirei back up the stairs out of the basement. "He calls himself Cypher. He possesses a high aptitude of demon mastery, and unusual powers akin to the Magecraft of this realm. I attempted to apprehend him for questioning in regards to Zouken's death here, but... My apologies, Kirei, I can say no more to someone unaffiliated with us." Kirei nodded as if in understanding and asked, "So it is your belief that this Cypher fellow is the one that killed Zouken and has designs towards Sakura?"

Leaving the basement brought the pair back into the free air of the city. Kirei couldn't help but notice that the atmosphere of the basement was exactly the same as whatever it was that had changed the ruined workshop in the Tohsaka Mansion. Demon cultivation, dark rituals and now an unknown Magus... The situation was far different than he had anticipated. Thorman seemed to be lost in thought for a while before he finally answered him.

"The last recorded sighting of the man called Cypher was almost 60 years ago, where he made his infamous marks against the Three Families in the previous Holy Grail War. We are little more than a year before the next war and he has dealt a definitive blow against the Matou family, wiping them out forever." Thorman looked back over to Kirei and continued, "I suspect the reason that you are here instead of your teacher, Kirei, is because Cypher has made his move against at least one of the members of the Tohsaka family?"

Thorman sighed as Kirei confirmed his suspicions with a curt nod. "Then it is likely that the Einzbern family has had an encounter already with Cypher, if not right at this moment. I will contact the Einzbern family head post-haste, while you must share what we have discussed with Tokiomi Tohsaka." Thorman started to leave, but suddenly he turned back around while rummaging in the pockets of his suit. "Ah, before I forget... Tokiomi Tohsaka's summoning artifact for his Servant has arrived. Now that Cypher has come out of hiding, it is imperative that we are all able to fight back."

Kirei extended his hand outward, and Thorman gave him... a piece of denim. "Tokiomi will understand when he investigates this object further. Farewell, Kirei Kotomine. May you be blessed by the Light." With that, Thorman walked to a certain point away from the remains of Matou Manor. He raised his hammer towards the sky, and the clouds seemed to glow with light. A lightning bolt struck his hammer, and Thorman ascended up high until he disappeared into the night.

The crashing and flashing of thunder and lightning was too loud and bright for Kirei to observe without shielding his eyes. He remarked in his head that Messians seemed to prefer a theatrical exit, as convenient as it could be, to how Magi would do everything in their power to conceal their methods from the eyes of ordinary folk. Thorman's dramatic exit even caused a traffic accident nearby. Kirei chose to use that commotion to jog away from the site and back to the Tohsaka home.

* * *

"Saber!"

As Ilya leapt out of her father's arms to greet the Servant, Kiritsugu took in what just happened. The only snow remaining now was what was under his boots. The force of his Servant's entry into the battlefield completely dissipated the blizzard and blew any snow out of the way. Trees in the immediate vicinity were uprooted and blown farther away, if not chopped up by the razor wind slashes that she parried. Kiritsugu slowly got up and brushed what little snow remained on his shoulder as he spoke up, "Invisible Air, Saber? Good move, but too soon."

Saber kept her eyes forward at the space where the demon would be standing as she replied, "My apologies, Kiritsugu. Were I not distracted while in conference with Acht and Irisviel, I would have noticed sooner that something was amiss. I had to ensure your survival... and Ilyasviel's survival as well. It was the most expedient means of arrival I could manage." Her right hand seemed to tighten on her iconic sword's handle as she said this, the now-uncloaked blade of Excalibur shining under the sunlight.

With a shudder of air, the demon made his presence, and appearance, known at last. It was a skeleton dressed in a bullfighter outfit, complete with a green hat. He had his right hand on his waist, holding a red capote. His left hand held his sword, pointed down at the ground. The demon's head was pointed towards the trio in front of him, and he inclined his torso as if to bow. "The Servant Saber, King Arthur... or is it Arturia? Lord Cypher was correct to order you dead, Kiritsugu Emiya. I am the Fiend Matador, at your service."

A shiver went down Kiritsugu's spine. A Fiend... He had never faced one of these in his years of war-fighting and demon-slaying until now. Their legends of infamy were all that he knew, tales of their chaos rending Fuyuki City and spreading out to the rest of Japan until the previous Holy Grail War's end. Their lust for battle, the joy they reaped from the deaths of countless lives, innocent or guilty... The Fiends were avatars of the very Evil that Kiritsugu entered the Holy Grail War to end.

A rattling noise started to echo from the Matador's chattering bone jaw against his skull. He started to creep towards the trio as he whispered, "Yes, Kiritsugu Emiya... I can taste the fear emanating from you and your spawn..." Saber immediately pointed her sword at the Fiend, and he stopped to mockingly mimic the gesture. "You will not bring my Masters to harm, Fiend," Saber said loud and clear, more authority than a threat in her voice's commanding tone. Ilya stuck her tongue out at the Fiend for good measure, while Kiritsugu wondered just how ridiculous this looked to anybody else.

The Matador ceased his death rattle and replied, "But of course, O illustrious King Arthur. In fact, my target has now changed from your Master... to you." His sword tip made a mocking leap as it moved to point towards Saber. Suddenly, the ground under the Matador melted into a bottomless pit, and the Matador bowed once more before descending. His voice echoed throughout the forest, "What now, King Arthur? Will you accept this challenge? Then follow me into my realm, where no one can interrupt us!"

Ilya and Kiritsugu, who were holding their breaths the whole time, finally exhaled. Saber kept her gaze where the portal was and asked, "Are the two of you all right? Do you feel any different?" Ilya made sure her hat was okay while Kiritsugu looked over the both of them. Ilya was spotless, and Kiritsugu felt a little roughed up but otherwise fine. "We're okay, Saber... Has the Fiend marked you?" Saber attempted to take a step back, but her foot wouldn't move otherwise besides vertically so she nodded. "Indeed. Typical of a Fiend to mark his opponent. I can feel the portal drawing me in as I speak. It would seem that I have no choice to refuse this challenge after all."

"How much longer can you hold out?" Kiritsugu asked, more of a tactical question than anything else. Invisible Air was one of Saber's reliable abilities, and it would take time before she could regenerate it around her sword. Saber's eyes narrowed, "Not long. I will have to take this challenge head on, Kiritsugu." Ilya leapt up with a mittened fist and shouted, "Of course you will, Saber! This demon came to my forest and cut down all my trees and blew all my snow away! You beat that bad guy and come back quick, or you don't come back at all! You got it?!"

Saber and Kiritsugu looked at each other, and then Kiritsugu shrugged with a grin. "Ilya's right, Saber. The Fiend's done a terrible offense against the Einzbern family. To come back with your tail between your legs upon defeat would be worse than death." Saber nodded and turned towards the portal with her sword raised up. "And Saber..." A quick glance back, and Kiritsugu's face was stone-cold serious like usual. "This demon is absolute Evil. If it takes all your strength to erase him..."

"Kiritsugu, you underestimate me." Saber afforded herself a confidence smile on her face as she turned back toward the portal. "This isn't my first Holy Grail War... and this isn't my first Fiend Fight." Naturally, she was able to run towards the portal, and she jumped in. Her ears were assaulted with shockwaves of sound, and countless colors and lights clashed all around her to blind her eyes. She merely flung herself farther forward until she sensed the ground and landed on her feet, sword drawn and senses ready to face her foe.

_Are __you __so __eager __to __die__?_

Immediately, Saber turned around and parried the Matador's lunge. It wasn't a complete success; Despite the fact that she managed to divert the killing blow, some part of the attack still cut across the sleeves of her suit. The sword seemed to have a curse that increased the ferocity and frequency of its attacks. The Fiend swept his capote at her as he retreated, and she made a note that her sword had no effect on the red accessory as well. It was as if a sword tried to cut through water.

"Hmm, you have fight in you yet... Good, good..." The Matador started to walk a calm stride around Saber as he kept talking. "I'm glad to see that the Heroic Spirits of this world manage to live up to their title." Saber kept herself facing the Matador as she walked as well, to leave no side of her exposed to the Fiend. She kept her voice steady as she shouted back over the chaotic wind, "Whereas it takes nothing but the basest surrender to one's sins in order to become a Fiend. Is that not how you joined Cypher's forces, Matador?"

The Matador chuckled at this, "Is it such a sin to be prideful? You took up your sword because you were the best fit to be King of Britain in your age of chaos." He brandished his sword to the sky, and brought it closer to his eye sockets as if to behold it. "My _Espada_, my killing record, they are all proof that I was the champion of all the _Toreros_. From squalor to glory, indeed! One could call me the Heroic Spirit of Bullfighters!" Saber leapt forward to strike, and the Matador managed to parry every swipe before he simply thrust his sword forward without changing his posture once.

Saber hopped back in retreat, but her slacks didn't survive unscathed. Thankfully her feet were unharmed. They were shallow cuts, the Fiend was toying with her! "You slander the Throne of Heroes with every moment of your existence! And you think you can make sport of me?" The Matador stabbed his sword into the ground and swept his hand as if to address a crowd. "But of course! Your Invisible Air hasn't returned to your blessed blade yet, now has it? I am a Champion of Battle, and I will not cut down the Servant Saber while she isn't at her full strength!"

"You are correct, King Arturia. Cypher came to me, the greatest killer in the bullfighting ring, and promised me greater game than mere cattle," The Matador started as Saber tried to quell her shock. "Throughout the Third Holy Grail War, I kept my sights set on your Saber class as I hunted the rest of the Masters and Servants. What strength could possibly lie within the Servant class that lived by the sword... _and __died __by __the __sword__?!_" As swiftly as a bull on the attack, the Matador snatched up his sword and slashed sideways, and Saber was pushed back by the force of the attack as it cut her suit's torso area.

"And what I saw... was too beautiful to imagine. A brilliant light, a light belonging only to the Sword That Promised Victory itself! A brilliance equalled only by the tragedy of that light fading... at the final day of the Holy Grail War." If the Matador was acting out his emotion, Saber had to admit that it was terribly good at it. "Such a pity, my _Espada_ never tasted blood again... and then you showed up today while I was merely hunting down a mark." The Matador started chuckling, and then he lunged once again. This time Saber was ready, and when his sword seemed to clash with thin air, they both knew why.

The Matador was the one to retreat this time, and his capote seemed to shred at the seams after meeting Saber's invisible blade, now cloaked by blessed wind once again. "All this time... I have been waiting for this moment. I suppose that is why Lord Cypher sent me on this particular mission. You see, I never did tell him of your true identity after the last War ended." Saber said nothing as she merely banished her shredded suit for her true battle uniform. King Arturia was now in a blue dress with glorious armor, her hands in gauntlets and legs in greaves. Her previous ponytail was gone, her hair now tied up in an intricate bun.

"Is it punishment, for defying the great Lord Cypher's one order and being led to one's death? Or could it be reward, for years of service to be given that which one has asked for since their moment of birth?!" The Matador's chuckle became a full-blown cackle now as he slashed and swiped at his opponent. Saber effortlessly parried and deflected each attack, and she leapt forward as soon as an opening came to bisect the Matador, but only managing his capote.

Not once stopping his mad cackle, the Matador stepped back to admire his opponent's work. "Yes! This is the fight that I have been searching for! The Servant Saber at her full power, now you shall face me at mine!" With a sweep, the Matador banished the capote from his right arm, leaving only a silver pole that, with another twirl, became a second sword. "Hear me! With my twin swords, _Espada_ and _Andalucia_, I have not known defeat nor death! If you do not give it your all, you will not see the light of the world once more!"

"Indeed, Matador!" Saber summoned all her courage and willpower, and readied her sword. "Only one shall leave this battlefield alive! In the name of all the souls you parted from the world, in the name of Justice, I will rend you from existence! This I swear, as Arturia, King of Knights!"

* * *

In such a short span of time, so much of the world had changed for Kariya Matou. His hateful ghoul of a grandfather suddenly gone from the world, the love of his life's abandoned daughter now under his care, and a mysterious benefactor in the man called Cypher who was now giving both of them a home and a chance at a better life. It was too good to be true, but it was also impossible to refuse. Kariya kept his mouth shut as he followed Cypher to wherever his home was, with Sakura following along hand-in-hand next to him.

Kariya almost expected another dark alleyway, but Cypher stopped them in front of a hotel building that looked fairly new, if sparsely populated judging by the few lit windows. The only signage was a word above the door that said 'Charon,' which Kariya supposed was some foreign hotel chain. He followed Cypher into the building then sat down in the lobby with Sakura as the man with the money and know-how talked to the reception desk about whatever it was rich people talked about to service folk.

"Hey Sakura," Kariya started to ask, "this must all be weird to you, huh?" When the little girl looked back at him for a bit and merely tilted her head, he continued. "I mean, it's not even a day since you moved in with the old man and then suddenly you're moving back out to some other new place and another creepy older guy is going to be 'teaching you magic' that isn't really magic and I'm rambling, aren't it?" Kariya stopped himself and looked around sheepishly for something else to do. Maybe get a drink? Why was that weird snowman's face on that vending machine too, is he some new cartoon character?

Sakura's voice was still a little quiet, but it was getting less timid like back at the Velvet Room when she spoke. "It's a little weird. Cypher-san isn't as old as your grandpa was, but he's nicer and he's helping us out without us asking. Aside from that, I don't really know much about learning magic because onee-san always-" Sakura stopped herself, and Kariya couldn't help but see it as Sakura rewriting something in her head as she continued, "Tohsaka-san always learned that from before I could remember."

"Is that so..." Kariya awkwardly threw out as he tried to parse out what just happened in his head. Was Sakura trying to distance her old family life from herself as the world continued to shift around her? He looked up to see that Cypher was still doing whatever at the reception desk, and turned back to Sakura. "Sakura, did you hate Rin?"

Sakura seemed shocked by the question, and her reply came much faster than Kariya expected. "N-No! I loved onee-chan! I mean- I loved her like I'd love an older sister..." She stopped herself and took a few breaths before continuing, "I didn't hate her. Papa- I mean, Tohsaka-ojisan told me when I asked once that only Rin could learn magic. I didn't hate her for that, because that was just the way it was for magic families."

"Mama always made sure to keep things normal," Sakura said with a smile. "Mama tried to make sure that Rin wasn't pushing herself too much, and that we could both go and play if things got too hard..." Suddenly, Sakura's eyes started to tear up. Kariya put a hand on her shoulder as she feverishly wiped her eyes and asked, "... Why can't she be my Mama anymore?"

Kariya was at a total loss for words, and the sudden vision in his head of Aoi turning away from her own daughter didn't help things. He shook the sight out of his mind, how unfathomable! The Aoi he knew would never do that! But... Aoi let Tokiomi give this little girl away to Zouken despite his knowledge of what the old man was capable of...

"I hope I am not interrupting anything?" Cypher asked as he quietly butted into the conversation. He looked to the slightly bewildered Kariya (Still a little dazed by his confusion), and nodded a bit to Sakura as she dried her eyes out on her sleeves. "I wanted to tell you two that your arrangements here are settled. You'll be staying at the 6th floor." He produced two key cards from his hand, much like an exceptionally skilled poker dealer might hide cards up their sleeve and slide them in at their will, and handed them out. They looked fairly simple, with the hotel name and a giant 6 on them as well as a black strip to swipe at whatever.

"Thank you, Cypher-san... sorry, the card doesn't say, where at the 6th floor do we stay?" Kariya asked, to which the other man chuckled. "Come now, Young Kariya. I was quite clear the first time. Did you presume that you would be staying at a mere room on the 6th floor?" Kariya couldn't believe this guy. Ah, to be rich and flaunt it despite one's charitable acts of kindness! "Right, well thank you very much, Cypher-san. Come on, Sakura. Let's turn in for the night." He grabbed Sakura's luggage and wheeled it along while she ran ahead to the elevator.

When the two of them stepped in, Sakura looked around for a button to press. The walls and panels were empty but for the reflections of the puzzled pair, until Kariya spotted a card-slot. He pointed it out, and Sakura took her card and slashed it through to kick the elevator into motion. The smile on her face confirmed in his mind that some things in life were best left to the kids.

Neither of them were prepared for what awaited them on the 6th floor. Red. Lots and lots of red. Red furniture, red dishes, red drapings on the window frames... But besides those, the glass windows would let in some good sunlight during the day. In the center was a young woman in a maid uniform, with totally white skin and red eyes. Her eyes seemed to bore into his mind, which thankfully didn't last too long when Sakura ran up to her and started up a conversation.

A light tap on the shoulder made Kariya jump and trip over Sakura's luggage. Cypher looked quite satisfied with himself as Sakura and the maid looked down at Kariya then walked over to help him up. "So, Young Kariya, Sakura-chan, how do you like it?" Kariya patted himself down as he tried to find words other than "Nice" and "Red" to describe the luxurious pad. Cypher shook his head and went on, "Never mind. It's late and we all need our rest after such a momentous day. Mary, if you would please help Sakura-chan to her room? Young Kariya, I'm sure you can manage alone?"

Kariya nodded, but didn't move from where he stood as he watched the maid calmly pick up the luggage and guide Sakura to her bedroom. When the two of them were gone, Kariya asked, "Cypher-san... This demon-summoning business, what kind of training will Sakura have to endure?" He turned back to look at Cypher, who didn't have any sort of reaction to Kariya's question. "Endure? Young Kariya, I did not save Sakura from the old beast that was Zouken in order to bring her to harm myself."

"Do I have your word on that, Cypher-san? Can I trust you to keep Sakura safe, and teach her this magic for her benefit?" Kariya asked, this time with a little more force. He felt that sensation again of Cypher prying his mind open and slowly sifting through his thoughts. Kariya kept his mind resolute on that one notion of Sakura's well-being, her happiness... and Cypher nodded. "Yes, Young Kariya. You can trust me." Kariya breathed again in relief, then dropped one last question for the night. "Can you teach me too?"

Finally, a look of surprise came from Cypher as he scoffed in amused delight. "What is this? The last Matou with magic circuits that left his house to ruin has come to me?" Kariya stood at attention to the other man and knelt down in a bow. "It's nothing like that, Cypher-san. I know you were listening to my talk with Sakura-chan. Her life back with the Tohsaka family, she couldn't do anything for her sister back then. She was all alone, and that isn't about to change even here..."

Kariya then did the full bow-down to Cypher as he continued. "...But I'm here, and I'm sure it's not much comfort to her but I want to help as best as I can. I didn't keep up my magus training at all because of the old man and how he ran things, but he's dead. I'm in your debt now, Cypher-san, and I want to try to repay that. I'm nothing compared to you, and I'm sure Sakura's a far more promising pupil, but I want to be there for her, and if I'm going to be there for her then I need to be there all the way. Please, Cypher-sama!"

Cypher sighed, and he helped Kariya back up on his feet. "Young Kariya, please. I am not your Lord and Master, nor will I be Sakura's on her journey. I am helping her to learn that which will bring out her full potential in the world, that is all." He hushed Kariya with a finger to his lips and continued, "And you underestimate yourself as well. Though you are correct that your magic talent is lacking from inaction, you are not a mere blip in Sakura's eyes. You hold a larger place in her heart than you realize."

"I'm glad that you have told me all this, Young Kariya. I will happily teach you the means of demon summoning as well. Shall we co-sign on a geass as well?" Kariya's puzzled look meant Cypher had to elaborate, "A geass, a contract between the two of us that binds us to our souls, Young Kariya. I will swear that no harm shall come to Sakura-chan in her training, and if she should be hurt-" Kariya shook his head and replied, "That isn't necessary, Cypher-sama! I mean, Cypher-san..." He looked behind him to make sure he didn't disturb Sakura, and only saw the maid waiting for him and putting a finger to her white lips.

"This is enough, Cypher-san. I'm very glad to hear this offer, though. It helps to know that I'm not the only one in this world with Sakura's well-being in mind." Kariya let a little smile peek through on his face as Cypher chuckled and patted him on the shoulders. "It's about time for all of us to turn in for the night, Kariya. I will see you and Sakura-chan tomorrow morning at the lobby, where we'll be going to the training hall. Understand?"

Kariya, noticing that Cypher dropped the 'Young' part off of his name, nodded with perhaps the most optimistic and hopeful expression that he had that whole night. Cypher nodded back as he retreated to the awaiting elevator and Kariya walked over to the maid. He turned back to look at Cypher and finally said, "Thank you, Cypher-san. Good night." Cypher raised his hand in response, and watched from the elevator as Kariya followed the maid to his room before it began its descent.

* * *

"Charge me with all your strength, King of Knights! Your horns cannot pierce my soul!"

Saber saw immediately that those words were true. Upon entering his attack range, the Matador had full control of the zone around him. The Fiend was keeping up a demonic curse that bent the wind around him to his command, so any attack that he wasn't already dancing around would stray from their intended mark. Saber was also unfamiliar with the Fiend's sword-fighting style with two swords at his command, so she kept on the defensive in order to try to read his moves.

"Come now, King of Knights! I've had enough retreating and hesitance for one day! Show me your horns unless you are a mere cow to be milked!"

That was the _other_ part of this fight that pissed her off. If Saber retreated back outside of the attack zone, the Fiend always had the right choice of words to somehow get under her skin and make her charge back in. She could feel her fury fueling her assault, but it wasn't worth it if she was merely slashing at air and trying to keep her head from leaving the rest of her body the other half of the time. After deflecting both swords with one motion, she finally got fed up and retreated back a safe distance for what felt like the 35th time.

"Enough, Fiend! This is no battle, it is a petty game!" Saber didn't even have any marks on her battle dress or armor to show for any sign of conflict. The Matador had the audacity to sigh in the face of her indignation and replied, "Of course it is a game. I am a Matador, and I aim to entertain the countless masses who seek to enjoy this show. It is all part of the process, I assure you."

Saber's regal dignity was all that kept her face from glowing red in anger, but her tone of voice was another matter entirely. "There isn't even anybody else here! There are two decaying corpses in the distance, and they are the only other signs that life even existed in this forsaken wasteland while you entertain the nonexistent savages that would enjoy the sight of animal slaughter!" The Matador seemed to pout at that and barked back, "Animal slaughter, the so-called King calls it! Bullfighting is a practiced art!"

Saber couldn't bring herself to care about defense anymore. Blinded by fury, she swung at the air as if she were dicing up a piñata that looked like her opponent, then held Excalibur parallel to the ground and brought it beside her head readied herself. "Damnation to your art, and you as well! STRIKE! AIR!" A vortex of air erupted from the blessed blade and seemed to penetrate whatever barrier that the Fiend had conjured up, and the force of the blast of air made the Matador stumble.

Now!

Saber charged at full speed, partly guided by the air that she had released from her sword, and found that she was going very fast. Almost too fast-! It was that moment when she was suspended in the air, slowly getting nearer to the Matador that she noticed that he hadn't stumbled, his feet were both firmly planted on the ground, and he was merely leaning back while his arms were holding his two swords in an angle, as if they were the arms of a praying mantis.

_By __my __Espada_

_By __my __bloodied __battlefield __of __Andalucia_

**_I __close __this __circle __of __Death__!_**

Not a praying mantis' arms. A bull's horns!

The moment of epiphany came a split-second too late. Saber was inundated by lunge after lunge of the two swords. With all her strength, she brought Excalibur in front of her and it was as if she was met full-force by a mad bull's charge. The Matador's attack sent Saber flying the farthest she had been thrown into the air, and she landed with a sickening crunch on her left shoulder. The shock of the impact was enough to feel like the arm had detached itself from the rest of her body, and she felt a trickle of blood going down her left hand. A deep cut was all that the Matador had managed, but that was no small comfort now that she barely avoided the Fiend's trump card.

Saber cried out in pain, but still she willed herself to recall as much of the Invisible Air to her sword as she could. The shock of massive pain brought with it a realization that this was the first time since the beginning of the fight that she was thinking clearly. The Matador's joyous cackling rang throughout the arena, "Impressive, you are indeed worthy of the Saber class! At the moment of truth, you saw through my baiting ruse that could have been your demise!" She had to agree. Thinking about it from the Matador's perspective, he really was just going through this fight as if she was yet another quarry in the ring. Misleading the bull with a red capote and snatching it away, bringing it back from time to time to anger her more and more to increase the target's ferocity yet disorient them, then that last move...

Saber got up and replied, "Matador! That last attack... I had never seen you use it before. You've always fought with a capote in one hand and the blade in the other, correct?" The Matador nodded, and started to look over _Andalucia_ as he said, "Yes. I have only ever fought like this one other time... to a warrior of lordly stature and uncompromising fiber. I have always kept my killing blow reserved for only the worthiest of fights, to drive an end of such finality... into both of my opponent's eye sockets."

"The crowd demands it! A long bullfight is merely a set up to the Grand Finale, the moment that snuffs out that avatar of madness in a single stroke! Through my countless victories, I perfected my technique until it was what you saw before you, bull against bull! Horns against horns! And the superior bull gores the other to death! The final killing blow, my Noble Phantasm, **_Estocada_**!"

At that final word, the Matador stabbed both his swords into the ground, and raised his arms up as if in celebration. To Saber's horror, she heard countless mad cheers from all around her, getting louder and louder as the Matador continued to grandstand and provoke the invisible crowd. "You finally understand, don't you? O King of Knights, I am no mere entertainer. I am the Grim Reaper, and today you are my target."

Saber suddenly felt light-headed, and it was all she could do to keep from hitting the ground and blacking out. She felt like too much blood... and something more... had been lost. "Now you finally feel it, yes? From the very beginning, the link between you and your Master had been severed. That's one of the minor side-effects of fighting in this realm. My apologies, I simply forgot in all the excitement." The Matador chuckled as he silenced the chaotic cheering and slowly picked up his twin swords. "I had hoped that you would die in dignity upon my swords, but it seems that was not to be your fate. You will die here. Alone. In pieces. Like a mere bull."

The Matador stared at one of his swords, bloodied from stabbing into Saber's left arm, and whipped the blood off with a swing. "No, less than a bull. Like a pitiful little girl, caught up in a man's battlefield."

Saber heard every word... and looked the Fiend in the eyes.

"I am Arturia Pendragon."

She felt the heavy weight in her knees, yet still she bent them as she stood.

"As foretold by Merlin, and raised by Sir Ector, I took up the sword Caliburn to claim my birthright."

She almost fell forward, but she stabbed Excalibur into the ground to keep herself steady.

"I became something other than human. To be a King is to be inhuman... to kill in order to protect."

She stood up straight, and pulled the sword out of the ground.

"By my legend, I have etched my name into history as the King of Knights, and I shall win the Holy Grail War and purge this world of Evil."

It might as well have not been there, but through sheer will she moved her left arm, and it trembled as she seemed to hold it out towards the Fiend.

"You are no Grim Reaper. You are no warrior. You are a jester. You are nothing."

She pointed Excalibur at the Matador, who had his own two swords up like horns again, and drew it back.

**"_ESTOCADA__-"_**

* * *

When Kirei Kotomine returned to the Tohsaka Mansion, Tokiomi had sequestered himself in the wrecked basement. According to Aoi, Tokiomi was dead-set on cleaning the place up, as if removing all traces of the incident could purge the events of last night from his conscience. Rin was stable, but still unconscious. Aoi handed Kirei two mugs of hot... whatever this drink was, and nodded quietly to him as he went down to the workshop.

"Aoi, really, I'm fine down here. You don't have to- Ah, Kirei-kun. You're back." Tokiomi had on far less clothing than usual. Wearing just a white dress shirt and pajama pants, you could not get him to present himself to the Clock Tower in this attire with all the money or magecraft in the World. Kirei had a mad desire within him to simply watch his teacher continue to dirty himself while miming Lady Macbeth, but it was quickly snuffed out the instant that he remembered to make his status report.

"The one awaiting us at Matou Manor was Thorman of the Messian Order. He was expecting you, so you may have to contact him in the near future for more details on what he gave me. Although at the moment he's heading to the Einzbern's home turf..." Tokiomi held up what remained of his weird communication device and threw it into the slowly growing trash can. "If that's the case, it will be some time before I can get to him. You're all I've got for the moment, so fire away, Kirei-kun."

Truly, volunteering to go to Matou Manor himself was worth it just to watch Tokiomi's face change expressions, not to mention various shades of red as well. Thorman's findings, from the true nature of Zouken's machinations, to his suspicions of Sakura's fate at the hands of that mysterious stranger called Cypher, Tokiomi Tohsaka's world was crumbling as each sentence left Kirei's lips.

"Unbelievable... Right under our very noses, Zouken was cultivating Magatama... How could I have missed this?" Tokiomi had his head in his hands as he cursed his Magus thinking. "And to think, I gave Sakura to that... that monster..." In a rare moment of rage, Tokiomi threw one of his broken instruments against the wall. Kirei had to marvel at how the resulting explosion of blue flame made Tokiomi's features look far more animated than he had ever seen. "If I had only known sooner... I would have incinerated that old fossil myself."

"Impossible, teacher. He predated you by several generations of Magi, and would have most likely made you into his puppet, if not a new body to live in. Though, this is merely my conjecture," Kirei remarked as Tokiomi took a sip of the... stuff that Aoi had brewed for them.

"My my, Kirei-kun. I think this is the first time I've heard you speak with little confidence in my abilities... though I don't blame you for it." Tokiomi banished the small fire with a flick of his hand and looked towards the moon through the cellar window. Kirei thought the moonlight was an excellent compliment to the melancholy on his teacher's face. "All it took was one night, to be sorely reminded of the curse upon my family. My hubris as a Magus, my seat among the Messian Order, it all blinded me to the ever-present danger that is Cypher. He has already claimed one of my daughters, to kill her if not enslave her, and I gave almost everything to bring my Rin back."

"He may have something planned for the War next year... Kirei-kun, you said Thorman brought me an artifact?" Tokiomi walked over to the mostly-intact desk and brushed off the top while Kirei pulled the piece of denim out of his pocket and placed it on the desktop. Tokiomi pulled out a magnifying glass from the desk and quietly inspected the piece of fabric, every so often whispering something and making the magnifying glass glow. "For almost 60 years, Cypher has been biding his time... He won't be so happy to find out that we Messians weren't sitting idly by with our thumbs up our-"

When he looked up to see Kirei with an arched eyebrow, Tokiomi put away the magnifying glass and explained, "This is no mere piece of denim, Kirei-kun. It is an artifact dating back to ancient biblical times from a being so powerful, all of his writings were sealed away from the biblical canon." Tokiomi grinned, but then he sighed as he put the summoning artifact in his pocket. "It's a shame about last night. Rin's actions here have made the basement unfit for summoning, not to mention the rank odor of Deathstone must be purged before I can continue to work."

"It's just as well, I felt like I haven't had much to do in the house lately."

Kirei and Tokiomi were both shocked by the third voice in the room and they turned to the doorway of the cellar, Black Keys in Kirei's hands and Tokiomi pointing his right hand like a gun, prana charging up. Almost immediately, they felt like fools when they realized that it was only Aoi, Tokiomi's wife. She was a little shocked by their overreaction, and she waited until the others calmed down before she spoke up, "Dear, I need to talk to you alone."

Tokiomi nodded, and patted Kirei on the shoulder. "Kirei-kun, you have done excellent work today. I'll be awake a little longer to talk with the missus, you have a good night." Kirei silently nodded in response to his teacher's farewell, and he left the married couple alone in the cellar as he retreated to his sleeping quarters.

"Rin's awake-" was all that Aoi could say before Tokiomi picked her right up and spun her around the room, ending with a hug. Tokiomi stopped after a short while to make sure he didn't dizzy his wife before he said, "This is splendid, Aoi... She is our daughter indeed. She could never get sick too long, even though I thought that this time... Anyway, did she wake up just now?"

Aoi shook her head, "No, she called down from her room around the time that Kotomine-san got back. I couldn't believe my ears at first, and then I thought I was in one of my nightmares again... but she was there. Our darling Rin was awake. She..." Aoi buried her face in her husband's shoulders and started to cry. "She was the same as she ever was! She acted like nothing happened last night! I couldn't bring myself to ask her anything about it, if this was a dream I didn't want to break it and wake up with our daughter dead again-" Tokiomi held her closer to him and cursed himself for not knowing how else to try to reassure his wife. Aoi calmed down, her crying reduced to a slight hiccup in her voice. "She asked for something to drink... and I remembered that I accidentally gave her mug to you."

"I wanted to come down to the cellar to ask for the mug back, but I didn't want to interrupt you two..." Aoi suddenly stopped, and her red face turned even redder when she finally continued, "But I heard Kotomine-san mention Sakura, and I couldn't stop myself. I'm so sorry-"

This time, Tokiomi tried a kiss in order to calm Aoi down and get the two of them a moment of silence. To his relief it worked far better than the comparatively mechanical hug that he did moments before. Duly noted. "...It's all right, Aoi. You are my wife, you deserve to know, and after all you are Sakura's mother."

Aoi nodded but wasn't reassured as she replied, "I can't help but regret it. I keep thinking, 'What if I had spoken up earlier, perhaps tried to persuade you to keep Sakura here?' Dear, couldn't there have been another way? My heart keeps telling me that there was another way, but..."

Tokiomi cupped her hands in his, and bent down on one knee, as if in prayer. "Aoi, I swear to you that I had nothing but the best of intentions in my heart for Sakura. If Zouken had not contacted me, I wouldn't have given her to anyone else, not even another Magus family..." Despite all that he said, Tokiomi's pride as a Magus, fractured as it was now, still tried to rationalize it another way. "...It must have been Cypher. He must have needed to get Sakura somehow, and used the damned old man for his ends, knowing of the covenant between our families."

Aoi looked her husband in the eyes and asked, "But you're still going to fight in the Holy Grail War next year?" Tokiomi still had not opened his eyes and was still thinking, but Aoi couldn't take this silence. "Tokiomi, isn't this enough? You saved our daughter from that monster and- Kotomine-san's Servant is a whole group of them! Can't he simply fight in your stead so that we could-"

Tokiomi finally stood back up and turned the back of his right hand towards her, revealing the red markings on his flesh. "Forgive me, Aoi. As a Tohsaka, one of the Three Founding Families behind this ceremony, I must see this through to the end. And as Cypher has made his moves against us, I will not back down. I cannot." His expression now was resolute, with a fierce determination that Aoi had never seen before in her husband. "I swear to you, and my ancestors, that if any further harm comes to our family, the man will know the true meaning of retribution as I strike him down unto the black pit of Hell, for I shall be one with the Sentinel of Heaven."

Using his handkerchief to wipe the remnants of tears off of Aoi's cheeks, a smile softened Tokiomi's features a bit as he reassured her, "And I promise you this, Aoi. If Sakura is in that devil's clutches, I will do whatever I can to get her back."

* * *

"I am Arturia Pendragon."

Saber locked her sights on the Matador's skull, not caring if the Fiend was staring back at her.

"As foretold by Merlin, and raised by Sir Ector, I took up the sword Caliburn to claim my birthright."

As she stood back up, she tightened her grip on Excalibur, and was overwhelmed when she felt the latent wind magic that was still around the sword.

"I became something other than human. To be a King is to be inhuman... to kill in order to protect."

Every jolt of pain that came from her left arm threatened to kick off her disintegration, but she kept herself focused on her target, her eyes fixed forward as her arm pointed towards her opponent.

"By my legend, I have etched my name into history as the King of Knights, and I shall win the Holy Grail War and purge this world of Evil."

With her right arm she held Excalibur parallel to her left, and drawing upon her last reserves of mana, drew it back, feeling the Invisible Air envelop her.

"You are no Grim Reaper. You are no warrior. You are a jester. You are nothing."

If there was any time left to make any moves, she could only afford one strike.

**"_ESTOCADA__-"_**

With all her strength, she stabbed forward with Excalibur and pulled the metaphorical trigger in her mind. Like the proverbial bullet out of the barrel, she launched herself at supersonic speed. Outside of her right arm and the sword it held, the rest of her body was at the mercy of the almighty force that she used to launch herself forward, but she kept her eyes locked onto the Matador's head as Excalibur buried itself into that damned skull.

The effect was instantaneous. The Matador's most powerful attack ceased, his swords flying out of his hands and barely scratching Saber's cheeks as they clattered uselessly onto the ground behind her. The chaotic weather in the battlefield ceased, and with it came a deathly silence broken only by Saber's labored panting. The Matador weakly chuckled in return.

"Hahaha... So even you denied me that end... being cut down by the brilliant light of that sword..." The Fiend spoke as his clothes faded away as his skeleton crumbled from the bottom up. The two swords on the ground cracked and exploded with hellish shrieks. Before long, all that was left was the skull that continued to emit its malevolent presence as Excalibur still rested within, Saber's arm still holding it outstretched in the air. "No matter... You proved your worth on this battlefield, Saber. You are no little girl, nor are you even a mere bull. You are a brave, ferocious lion, King of Knights."

Saber scoffed at the Fiend's words. "Save your breath, Fiend. I have no use for such praise from a sworn enemy." The sky cracked open as she spoke, with a blinding light pulling her out of the battlefield. Saber finally relaxed her body and she let her right arm come down, dispersing Excalibur and letting the Matador's skull crumble on the ground. As she ascended out of the chaotic battlefield into the light, she heard the Matador's laugh one last time.

_But __between __you __and __I__... __We __both __know __there __is __only __one __who __could __call __himself __a __King __of __Britain__..._

...

...cold...

It was cold...

It hurt to open her eyes, but Saber couldn't help her warrior instincts needing her to survey as much of the environment as she could. All she could do was look around her and barely turn her head to her sides. It was already night, and snow was falling as leafless trees surrounded her. Ah, she was back in the Einzbern home capitol's forest. She could feel the bond between her and her Master Kiritsugu Emiya, as if she was subconsciously calling him. She slowly pushed herself up into a sitting position, only now noticing the unlit Candelabrum lying on the ground next to her.

"Saber!"

Before she knew what she was doing, she picked up the Candelabrum lying on the ground and scrambled onto her feet, turning every which way until she saw a small group in the distance. Leading the pack was Irisviel von Einzbern, her Master's wife. The woman was wearing her white winter coat and hat, and flanking her left and right were homunculi with halberds at the ready. Upon finding her, Irisviel seemed to sigh in relief and calmly walked up to her. "Saber, thank goodness you're all right. I suppose this solves the mystery back home."

Saber's confusion seemed to show on her face, because Irisviel giggled at the sight before she continued, "You see, Kiritsugu collapsed a few hours ago. You must have needed quite a bit of mana from him, so he probably felt the full brunt of your request upon your return. We've been trying to find you for some time. Battling that Fiend must have taken every ounce of your strength..."

Saber bent down on one knee and bowed her head. "My apologies to your family head and Kiritsugu, Madame Einzbern. Had I not let myself become distracted by the Fiend's tactics, I would have ended the battle more quickly and decisively. I have inconvenienced you all with my blunder." With her sword dismissed, the Candelabrum was all that she held in her right hand, and she tried with all her might to break it with her grip.

Irisviel helped Saber to stand back up and shook her head. "There's no need for apologies, Saber. I'm certain that Kiritsugu forgives you for this. You eliminated the Fiend, surely both Grandfather and Kiritsugu will be glad to hear that."

"Now then, let's all go back home! Perhaps a celebratory feast for the first big unofficial win in the 4th Holy Grail War?" Irisviel's glee wasn't infectious judging by the expressionless non-reactions of the sentry homunculi, but Saber nevertheless smiled as she walked with Irisviel by her side. Suddenly Irisviel leaned towards her and whispered, "And between you and me, Madame Einzbern is far too formal. You can call me 'Iri' if you'd like."

Saber felt her face glow red as she stammered out a quick "Perhaps 'Irisviel' will suffice?", and the two of them went back and forth on this very important matter as they went home. Saber didn't even notice that the Candelabrum had vanished from her grip. It now existed as one with her, for a Candelabrum is no mere piece of metal. It chooses its master upon a great battle that is fought, and its light guides the victor towards the finality of the One Truth, the One Will that will change the world.


	4. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I would like to think that, by nature of the format with which I am spinning this yarn, I would not have to say this. On the other hand, best to err on the side of caution. Therefore, I am stating here that I do not own any of the properties that this story is based on, such as Type-Moon and nitroplus's Fate/Zero light novels and ATLUS's Shin Megami Tensei video game series.

* * *

_One __year __later__..._

"Magic is defined by legacy. A magus strives to achieve the impossible, and passes down their knowledge to the next generation in order for their progeny to continue that journey. Therefore, it is a simple matter to infer that the oldest magus families that persist today have vast amounts of knowledge, and thus vast amounts of power, at their disposal."

The stern voice of Professor Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald echoed in a particular classroom auditorium of the Clock Tower. Though nobody would say it out loud, all of the students present were confused as to why today's lecture began on something that they all knew since birth and took as read anyway. All of the students except for one, that is.

Waver Velvet was wide awake, perhaps for the first time since he had arrived in the halls of the Clock Tower. His gaze was focused on Professor Archibald, and he was hanging on every word, waiting for the other shoe to drop. He'd expected to talk with the Professor privately about his theory, but to have it be the main topic of the class? His essay must have had a greater impact than he thought!

"Yes, I can see it on your faces. Why am I tell you something that is as plainly obvious as the fact that we need air to breathe?" Professor Archibald gave a moment's pause to look at the students before picking up a sheaf of papers from his podium. "Yesterday, a student submitted an essay to me entitled 'How Magecraft Should Be in the Next Century,' which dared to challenge those facts that define who we are as magi."

"According to the theories posited in this writing, a wide-eyed idealist who has meager control of their mana and a deep understanding of the mechanics behind a Magecraft could perform just as well as a magus with 9 generations of learning. In short, this essay refutes centuries of established practices in favor of an approach to Magecraft where one simply believes that what they are doing is correct."

Now the classroom really was buzzing. However, Waver didn't open his mouth just yet. He didn't quite like how Professor Archibald was spinning the theories that he had presented in his essay. He wanted to get the write-up sent to the Clock Tower because nobody had come out with authority and addressed his ideas, so he figured sending the essay to his professor, a 9th generation magus from a prestiged family, would get the ball rolling!

_...__A __student __in __the __Clock __Tower __with __three __generations __of __Magi __behind __him __tries __to __address __an __entire __hidden __society __about __how __what __they__'__ve __been __doing __for __centuries __has __essentially __been __a __waste __of __time__. __Ohh__, __right__..._

"Quiet, everybody," Professor Archibald called out to silence the class before casting one more look at the sheaf of paper in his hand. "I will be blunt. This bundle of theories is nothing but childish fantasy. Magic is defined by one's bloodline legacy, as it has ever been, and so it shall ever be. I shall end it here and hope that the student who wrote this gets the message." With an air of finality, the man threw the sheaf of papers into the dustbin beside his podium.

Waver was stunned. Was Professor Archibald really going to let his theories stop here? He didn't even think to consider that what he wrote was possible, did he? He got up from his seat as he piped up, "Professor, I only wanted-"

"Mr. Waver Velvet!" Professor Archibald's interruption came without preamble. "I see you have not learned your lesson? Very well then, I shall drive the final nail in the proverbial coffin of your beliefs." He raised his left hand over the dustbin and a portion of the essay came out. "In truth, I did learn one thing from this essay: _Those __who __have __no __power __will __scramble __to __find __any __way __to __assert __themselves __among __giants_."

"Consider, class, what Mr. Waver Velvet says in this section: 'Though traditional elements of Magecraft have not been learned or mastered to sufficient level in one to three generations' time, the art of demon summoning has been readily accessible to anybody with a willing mind and able magic circuits.'" The professor certainly got the reaction he wanted. Dead silence, all at the utterance of those two words: Demon summoning.

"Yes, class. Demon summoning, the same foolish attempt at a new Magic Art that plays with fairy tales. We know of demon summoning, don't we? 60 years ago, three once-prestigious families of Magi called the Makiri, the Tohsaka and the Einzbern all dabbled in the 'demon summoning arts,' and what has become of them now?" Professor Archibald's talk seemed to be laced with far more contempt as he didn't even pretend to wait for a student to speak.

"The Tohsaka clan has had to mingle with outside Magi clans and seek assistance from the Church's exiles known as the Messians to barely stay afloat. The Einzbern's offensive capabilities have been blunted to nothing, so much that they must hire gunmen who play at being Magi. And the Makiri? Their stubborn fossil of a family head finally crumbled into dust just the last year, and his legacy was a basement cellar full of summoning failures. But of _course_, demon summoning _must_ be the answer that a weak, unlearned Magus is looking for!"

Now everybody was looking at Waver, either waiting for a rebuttal or watching to see what the prey could do before the predator made the killing blow. "This is what you wanted, isn't it Mr. Waver Velvet? To be regarded by your peers for such a _groundbreaking__theory_?" Waver could practically taste the poison in his professor's voice, and his eyes were starting to well up with tears. He couldn't even stop his voice from stuttering as he tried to defend himself. "I... I..."

With a snap of his fingers, the portion of the essay that had been levitated was cut up into countless pieces as if by an invisible razor, and Professor Archibald pretended to sigh. "It truly pains me to do this, but it would be irresponsible as a professor of Magecraft to allow you to continue attending class." A collective gasp from the classroom, none higher than from Waver himself. "Do not bother coming here tomorrow or any day from now on, Mr. Waver Velvet. You are hereby expelled from the Clock Tower."

It was as if the world around the boy shattered. The classmates next to him or around him poked, prodded, threw balls of paper, did anything to try to get a reaction from him. Waver simply stared into the space in front of him, still frozen in his standing position over his seat and not even sure if he was breathing. Expulsion, it was as good as a death sentence.

Nobody tried to wake him from his stupor when class was over. Even the student that left a whoopie cushion on his seat simply retrieved it as he filed out with the others. Professor Archibald was the last to leave, and he didn't give Waver another glance the whole way. Of course, why would he? Waver was beneath a worm compared to the magus with the prestigious title of Lord El-Melloi. Only when he heard the door close did Waver Velvet finally break down in tears.

* * *

For good or ill, Waver Velvet lived by himself in the dorms. Nobody could get into his little room, but the young adults who he called his classmates and compatriots until this past afternoon made their mark on his door. Graffiti decrying him as a heretic, a loon, even low-level curses were placed on the door handle or the mail slot. Waver banished all the curses (and the counter-curses to his counter-curses) before going in and packing up his possessions.

As he collected the stray papers that he had written, Waver couldn't help but picture elaborate scenarios in his head where by some miracle, whether it be a long-lost Magus relative of high stature that he never knew existed or a sudden heart attack that afflicted Professor Archibald, Waver's expulsion was nullified and he was allowed to continue attending classes at the Clock Tower. At the same time, his mind detested these flights of fancy. He wasn't here on any family prestige, and he didn't want to be in that clique if people like Professor Archibald were included among them.

Besides, people like Professor Archibald weren't permitted by cosmic law to die of heart attacks or any kind of disease, no matter how hellish they were to their students.

It was late night when Waver clicked his massive suitcase shut. Good timing, he thought. Nobody could possibly be around to heckle him if he left at this late hour. The weird folk who did stay up this late would be so wrapped up in their work that they wouldn't care about him, just like his folks back home. The Velvet family never did take kindly to his theories. They merely saw him as another stepping stone on their path to Akasha, just like any other Magus family resigned to this inane cycle that nobody ever saw an end to...

Tears started to fall from Waver's eyes again as memories from his childhood flooded back unbidden to his mind. All that delightful wonderment, when he learned that magic was real! And not only was magic real, he was part of a family that could practice it, and he was going to learn it too! Through trials and tribulation, even as he battled with his wits against the complexity of magecraft and was cast out for trying to think outside of the box, he never lost his love of the world of magic. And now... because of who he was, he would have to leave.

"For Heaven's sake, get it together Waver!" said the loud voice in his head that tried to motivate him through hard times. Funny that he would only come back now, when he was marching on death row back home to getting a legendary dressing down by his family. He was so swept up in his thoughts, and trying to wipe the tears and snot from his face with his sleeve, that before he knew what was happening he fell backwards onto the floor. In front of him was a mailman that he accidentally walked into, packages that were in his arms now scattered all around on the floor.

"Oh no! I'm so sorry, just wrapped up in my own thoughts. It's been a rough day, you see..." Waver apologized over and over as he helped the mailman gather up the packages. He found the last parcel and was about to hand it over to the mailman when he noticed this particular labelled recipient:

_Kayneth __El__-__Melloi __Archibald_

With something between a yelp and a shriek, Waver threw the package away as if to banish it from his sight. Curse Professor Archibald, was he going to torment him for the rest of his days?! "I'll get that, then!" said the mailman as he walked over to the last package and scooped it up. He looked over the mail label and had a laugh at Waver's expense. "Not a fan of Macedonia, huh?"

Waver sighed and replied, "No, it's Profess- I mean Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald. Because of that close-minded asshole, my life as a Magus is all over!" For the next couple minutes, Waver aired out all the dirty laundry, let out all of the frustration that he had built up from the day's events, and the mailman was an attentive audience that took in every word.

"-and because I brought up demon summoning as a successful example for a magus to achieve great things without generations of inbreeding and rereading the same books over and over, I've been expelled!" That last line echoed throughout, but nobody seemed to notice outside of the two souls in that hallway. Waver finally took a deep breath and picked up his luggage. "Well, that's the end of my life story. Sorry for holding you up on your job, mailguy. I gotta say, thanks a bunch for hearing me out. This really got a big weight off of my chest. Though, I've still got the crowd back home to look forward to..."

Waver started to get a move on when the mailman spoke up. "That's strange... Why would the Lord El-Melloi condemn demon summoning and the three families when he's about to get involved in that skirmish himself?" Waver was about to lament that nothing but his words about the bastard El-Melloi got to the mailman, but something seemed off about what the mailman said. The mailman, noticing that he got Waver's attention, continued:

"Outside of the Makiri, who are well and truly extinct now, the Lord El-Melloi really exaggerated how badly the Tohsaka and Einzbern families have fared since the incident 60 years ago. If the rumors are true, and Lord El-Melloi is going to enter into that battle in Fuyuki City at Japan this year, then what went down today may have been part of a ploy on his end." The mailman turned to Waver, who was still trying to process what was coming out of this random guy's mouth, and concluded, "I'm sorry, kid. It looks like you were caught up in a power bid by Lord El-Melloi to throw his weight around as a combatant in the Holy Grail War."

Waver's mouth was agape as that last line hit him like a gut punch. There was no way that this was true. Waver Velvet, mild-mannered third-generation magus, just happened to stumble into _THE_ decades-spanning civil war between magi for the Holy Grail? And his life was in pieces now because his professor had such a world-spanning ego that he had to compete, and used the incident in class as a power play?!

He could almost see the pieces coming together in his professor's mind:

_A big bulletin that The Lord El-Melloi denounces demon-summoning to the point that he expels his own student for bringing it up in class, The Lord El-Melloi has had enough shit from the Einzbern and Tohsaka clans, and their heir enters the Holy Grail War as the bug exterminator and swats down the unworthy flies that are the other combatants! In one fell swoop, The Archibald Family proves itself one of the top families, if not THE strongest, amongst all Magi!_

And Waver Velvet, mild-mannered third-generation magus, handed in his essay at the worst possible time. All he wanted was to open some minds and what he got was a boot on his ass! Waver's fury at this injustice was plain as day on his red face, and the mailman tried to calm him down. "But in the end of the day, this is just rumors and speculation. The Archibald family has more important matters to attend to than mere demon-summoning rituals, right?"

Something in him snapped, and Waver never felt more angry in his whole life. "The hell with rumors! Nobody, not even high society Magi with inflated egos, should get away with ruining other people's lives for their own selfish goals! I'm going to show that asshole Archibald what I can do! I'm entering this Holy Grail War, and I'm going to win this damn thing so hard that they'll force him to un-expel me and bring me back, or my name isn't Waver Velvet!"

Waver was huffing and panting to catch his breath, but the fire in his heart had never burned truer. He _had_ to do this. He _HAD_ to show them all that he wasn't misguided... A clapping sound woke him from his daze, and he saw the mailman was smiling at him as he lightly applauded. "Well said, well said indeed. You really aren't an ordinary magus, are you, Waver Velvet?" Waver couldn't help but bashfully smile at that.

"But talent alone won't be your ticket into this war, Mr. Velvet," said the mailman as he handed over the package that had Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald's name on it. "A Magus doesn't fight alone in the Holy Grail War. A Magus is called a Master in this war, and they summon Heroic Spirits from this world's history called Servants. In order to do that, they require a summoning relic related to a Heroic Spirit, like the one in that box."

Waver looked down at the mailing label, and like the mailman said before, this relic came from Macedonia. What kind of hero could have come from Macedonia? But then his eyes couldn't help but glance over to the name on the box, and a seed of doubt sprouted in his heart. "I... I've got nothing to lose now, so I might as well compete, right? Take my chances and all. But still... I can't help but be afraid of facing that bastard Archibald head on."

Waver felt the mailman put a hand on his shoulder, and when he looked up, his eyes were locked onto the mailman's gaze. "It's natural to feel fear, Waver Velvet. But your mind will never be at ease if you let the Lord El-Melloi get what he wants out of this war. Go to Fuyuki City and compete with all your strength, with all your willing heart." Every word that the mailman spoke made Waver feel more sure of himself. It was like the seed of doubt in his heart had been incinerated by that passionate fire once again.

Waver grinned and said, "Yeah. I can do this! Thanks again for everything, mailguy! I'll see you when I get back from Fuyuki City, huh?" Waver waved goodbye with the packaged relic in his right hand and his luggage rolling along in his left. The mailman tipped his hat in response and walked onward in the opposite direction. Waver was fired up, he was going to compete in the Holy Grail War and- Wait, he forgot something! He turned around and asked:

"Geez, I'm an idiot. What's your name, anyway?"

And he didn't get an answer, for the mailman had vanished.

* * *

_Well, step one complete. There goes the unlucky sod with the relic for the King of Conquerors. Poor kid doesn't know what he's getting into. I venture he'll survive a week at the most, if the Servant doesn't kill him first._

_Bah, sentiment. The boy actually asked for my name. No, you fool, we won't be meeting again, not in this form at least. This mask is all that I can manage for now, and when we meet once again, I will be utterly unrecognizable. But just imagine, a flicker of the smallest recognition in the eyes of my enemy as the life leaves their body..._

_It'll require some time to think up a good line to stir such a reaction, but for now I continue onward to step two. If the Archibald Magus really is anything to write home about, then his use as a Master in the Holy Grail War would be wasted on a Servant such as the King of Conquerors. No, he will suffice plenty for my plan. Two more lefts, and... here we are. The Archibald Magus' housing complex._

"What ails you tonight, Sola-Ui, my dear? You aren't imparting any of the recent gossip like usual."

_Yes, that voice that drips with pride and overconfidence, the voice of the Archibald Magus. Who might he be addressing?_

"I've heard plenty myself already, Kayneth... Specifically, I heard about what you did today during your teaching session."

_Ah, a domestic dispute? Well, I haven't got anything else to do tonight, a little entertainment might be in order..._

"Ah, my dear Sola-Ui. If you're referring to the incident with that delusional student, I was doing what any Magus in their right mind would do. Such thoughts of shortcuts and magic tricks to reach Akasha within a single lifetime, we nip these in the bud at childhood to instill a diligent work ethic. If they persist, then they were a lost cause from the start, and thus we exterminate that delusion and purify the pool-"

"Please, enough of your excuses."

_Well, that shut him up right away._

"As a matter of fact, I remember watching you last night as you pored over the essay that boy wrote. Watching you wring your hands and gnash your teeth as you delved deeper and deeper into his theories... Even you understood what he was talking about, didn't you? The system is a fossil in sore need of innovation, and you had it right in your fingertips. Instead, you bent to the will of those far stronger than you and you snuffed out that boy for fear of reprisal from your superiors."

"Didn't you stop to think about why you were the one to receive this writing instead of those in higher standing than you within the Clock Tower? Of course you didn't. You parroted what those old fools would have done instead, rather than taking any risks and breaking new ground in this world! I'm ashamed to be betrothed with such a close-minded fool as you."

_And what does the Great Lord El-Melloi have to say in response?_

"I... I didn't... I'm sorry, Sola-Ui."

_...What do they call this phenomenon again? Ah yes, the "Whipped Husband."_

Well, I suppose I should throw a lifeline of sorts for the pathetic soul. A spineless fool can only endure so much ridicule before they melt into slime. Two knocks on the door and...

"Who on this good Earth could possibly have business at this late hour?! Yes, who is it, what do you want?!"

_Of course, when it's not to do with his wife, all the bravado and pride comes rushing back. Time for step two..._

"Delivery for Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald?"

"... It's awfully late for a mail delivery. Come back tomorrow!"

"My apologies, sir. It's just, this is a next-day delivery from Norway and-"

_And the door finally opens. Bingo._

"Norway?! Who the hell is this package from?!"

_Let's have a look at the place as far as I can see from the doorway while the fool's distracted by my package. Hmm, expensive furniture, family heirlooms here and there, and-_

_Good lord, is THAT his fiancée? You wouldn't think such an avatar of Cute could whip a male human into submission. What a fascinating realm._

"Excuse me, young man. I could have sworn that they said my summoning relic would be coming in from Macedonia."

"Ah, that old thing? It turns out we were able to unearth a far greater relic for you, as a favor to the Archibald family. You won't be getting a mere Human legend, but you shall wield a veritable God in the Holy Grail War!"

"... Very well."

_Aaaaand he slams the door in my face. Well, thank you very much! That's step two completed, now to bide my time before step three._

_Yes, thank you indeed... Master._

* * *

Rin was carrying her own luggage.

Of course she was! After surviving an attack by a Fiend and relearning the basics of Magecraft for the better part of a year where most of the time was wasted in recovery, Rin wasn't going to leave her luggage to be carried by an adult! She would have done it even if it was just a suitcase with a bowling ball! Heck, ten bowling balls! Rin was the daughter of Tokiomi Tohsaka, and she wasn't a weakling!

She wasn't a weakling... so why was her Papa still sending her away with Mama?

"Hello, Rin."

The distinctive voice of Kirei Kotomine brought Rin out of her thoughts. She never liked that voice, full of strength yet always finding a way to sound like he was stating the obvious to a simpleton that couldn't get the memo. She threw a half-hearted "Hello, Kirei" at him in response and tried to move on with dragging the luggage behind her before he asked, "That's quite a large suitcase. Are you going somewhere?"

Geez, he was doing this on purpose, wasn't he? Rin turned right around and impatiently replied, "Of course I am! Mama and I are going away for our safety while you and Papa fight! Didn't Papa tell you?" The look on Kirei's face didn't change as he answered, "No. Despite being my teacher, Tohsaka-san doesn't necessarily tell me everything. For instance, matters regarding the Messian Order with which I have no clearance."

Oops.

That's right, Kirei always cleared out whenever Mr. Thorman visited to talk to Papa about stuff. Mr. Thorman was tall but also big, with black hair and a white suit and scary blue eyes. A long time ago, he taught her Papa everything that he knew about fighting demons while he learned his Magecraft. Kirei came from the Church, while Mr. Thorman was from another church, so they probably didn't get along. It was probably like how a family of magi might make enemies with another family.

"Do not worry, Rin. As you seem to be departing today, I'm certain that Tohsaka-san would be telling me regardless, so you are doing a small favor for your father." Kirei's face was as stoic as always, which was a complete mismatch to whatever reassurance he was trying to provide her. Rin's complete non-reaction showed on her face, so Kirei asked, "Shall I help with your luggage, Rin?"

Rin shook her head vehemently in refusal and carted it along behind her. "I'm fine here, Kirei. If you want to help... Could you promise to look out for my Papa, and make sure that he's safe during the Holy Grail War?"

Kirei stopped the luggage with his foot (which it turned out was no small feat, whatever Rin was lugging around in that case was packed quite tightly) and shook his head as he replied, "Were it so simple as to dispatch some of my Assassins to be his eyes and ears where he has none, we would not have to send you off with your mother, hmm? Furthermore, to suggest that a student to Tohsaka-san could do a better job of protecting him than he himself is foolish."

Kirei's face and voice were the same as ever, but _something_ seemed to change as he continued to talk. "This Holy Grail War is a sort of Cold War, Rin. It is not an epic battle of explosions as you may have seen on television. It is fought with information and espionage, as well as the inherent talents of the competing Masters and Servants. They and they alone must fight to the death, and as Supervisor to Fuyuki City, Tohsaka-san will not allow innocent casualties, especially not of his wife and only daughter."

The sounds of jovial clapping emanated from the nearby hallway, and Rin jumped up in shock while Kirei merely turned his head. Mr. Thorman came into the room with his hands clasped together and an amused expression, while Tokiomi Tohsaka followed behind in his elegant calm. "Well said, Kirei! Well said, indeed. You certainly taught him well, Tokiomi."

"It is true. As repentance for the events of last year, the Messian Order has taken on a delicate operation regarding the safety of Aoi and little Rin here," Thorman spoke as he bowed his head to Rin. "We will have a Messian outpost with around-the-clock security, and a special bodyguard for each of you two as you go about your daily lives. Is that favorable?" Rin nodded, wondering what kind of bodyguard she would be getting. Would they be like a Servant?

"As for your Papa, worry not your dear heart, Rin," Mr. Thorman said as he slapped her Papa on his back, almost knocking him over. "I have spoken with the overseer of the Holy Grail War, Kirei's own father Risei Kotomine, and I have been granted permission to intercept any attacks on Tokiomi's person that do not lie outside of the Grail War's happenings!" He looked over to Kirei as he finished, "I originally asked to fight alongside him, but your father said that would be a violation of the Grail War's proceedings! Something about 'preserving the sanctity of the ritual...'"

Rin looked at her Papa as Mr. Thorman went on and on. She felt a little better now, knowing that Papa would have his demon-fighting teacher watching over him as well as the protection and power of his own Servant. For the first time in a while, she felt like the end of her world wasn't just around the corner. Rin's Papa looked back at her and seemed to think about something, then he spoke up, "Lord Thorman, Kirei-kun, please excuse me. I wish to speak to Rin about something before she departs."

Mr. Thorman broke out of his rambling state and gave his O.K. while Kirei went, "Very well. I will bring her luggage outside in the meantime." Rin almost protested that she'd do it herself later still, but her Papa nodded as he hurried her along with him. They walked back from where Papa had come, towards the kitchen and... Why were they going back down to the cellar? Rin couldn't help herself as it seemed like ice was building up in her stomach, she started to panic and lose her breath-

"Rin, it's okay. I'm here."

She looked up at her Papa, and he scooped her up into his arms and hugged her tight. Rin hugged him back in response, and she immediately calmed down in his reassuring aura. Tokiomi kept one arm around her as he used his free arm to open the cellar door and hold onto the stairway railing. "You'll have to help Papa here, Rin. I can't hold you as well with one arm," he said as he carefully walked down the stairs to the workshop. Rin tried to shift her weight off of his arm around her by pulling herself closer, and she shut her eyes tight until her Papa said, "You can open your eyes now, Rin. We're here."

When Rin opened her eyes, she took in the sight of the workshop. This was gonna be her last time here for a long time, so she made sure to memorize every detail. It wasn't much like it was last year, both before and after the incident. Lots of new equipment and storage cabinets were there to replace what was damaged. At Mama's insistence, the candelabrum sets were replaced with electronic light installations to combat the darkness that used to be a characteristic part of the workshop. Any signs that last year had happened were otherwise gone.

Rin leapt down from her Papa's arms and turned around to face him as he started off, "Rin, first I want to say how proud I am as your father that you chose to continue practicing Magecraft after what happened." There was a smile on his face, one full of love and pride, that Rin had never seen before. "Your mother and I tried to reassure you that there was no need to do this, but then you said back to us:"

"_Papa__, __I __won__'__t __run __away __from __this__! _To be a Magus is to walk with death! _You __told __me __that__, __and __I__-"_

"_I _won't _stop__, __Mama__! __I __have __to __do __this__, __for __all __of __us__, _and_ for __Sakura__!"_

Rin's face turned bright red and her Papa hummed in amusement for a bit. "We feared that we would lose you again if you came back to this path, but before our eyes you had changed. Rin, you became stronger and braver than you were before, rather than shut yourself out from the world. We could not have stopped you, even if we had tried our hardest." Then her Papa looked aside and- Was that a sheepish look on _Papa__'__s_ face? "Still, your mother had quite a bone to pick with me when she found out what I had told you back when I started training you."

He walked over to a desk in the room and beckoned Rin over to follow him. "The past year's training has been far greater than I would have taught you on normal circumstances. I will not deny that part of it was from a mindset brought on as a father acting to protect one's daughter. But as one Magus to his apprentice, you have far exceeded my expectations of your abilities over this short regiment, and for that I am also proud of you, Rin." The smile that Rin saw this time was back to being Professional and Elegant Papa, but it was no less genuine in his joy.

Rin bowed and started to say her thanks before her Papa interrupted her. "Don't thank me yet, Rin. Not before you receive... this." He opened up a secret compartment of the desk and pulled out a glorious golden object on a chain. It resembled a pocket watch, and on one side it was indeed a mechanical watch. On the flipside of the device, however, there was what looked like the face of a compass but without the four cardinal directions. The single hand on the compass-like side ended with a jewel, and it constantly shivered as if in reaction to something. In all her rummaging through the family archives, Rin never saw this before.

"This is a unique pocket watch, one of the prized heirlooms of our family that miraculously survived last year's incident," her Papa's voice had a nostalgic fondness to it as he described the watch. "The compass on the flipside is a Mana locator. Should it detect any challenge to your being, the compass' jewel hand will point towards it." To demonstrate, he held a tiny jewel in his left hand and charged it, and with a loud "CLANK," the pocket watch's compass point dramatically shifted from pointing at Rin to the small jewel.

"When my own father still lived, he took me on missions to protect this great city called Fuyuki, with this compass as our guide. I pass this on to you, my dear daughter, as a promise that we shall do the same," Rin's Papa said as he slowly handed the pocket watch over to Rin's trembling hands. "I will emerge from the Holy Grail War as the lone victor, and no longer shall demons and curses plague the Tohsaka family name. We will be cleansed, and the world shall remember the Great Magi that we once were, that we still are... and that we have yet to become."

With tears in her eyes, Rin hastily pocketed the watch before she leapt up and hugged her Papa. "Thank you so much, Papa! I swear I'll take care of this watch and keep studying my Magecraft and keep Mama safe and-" Her Papa laughed as he hugged her back and basked in her pure happiness. "You're welcome, Rin. Now, let's head on out, shall we? We shouldn't keep your mother waiting." Hand in hand, father and daughter both full of happiness and hope for the days to come, Rin and Tokiomi Tohsaka left the family workshop.

* * *

Demons, born of the wishes and thoughts of humanity, and given form when a strong will with the right affinity for it called them forth. Sakura Matou had it easy, as a child without bitter years of life bearing down on her perception of the world, and with an innate nature that Cypher once called "Imaginary Numbers." It was as simple as clapping her hands (She would have snapped her fingers if she could) and a demon was formed before her eyes.

Kariya Matou would supervise Sakura as much as he could while she homeschooled alongside Thoth or played hide-and-seek with the Jack Brothers. For the sake of her safety and keeping their lessons a secret, Sakura never summoned too many demons at once. However, it was during this year's Bon Festival when they were preparing to discreetly visit the Matou family burial grounds that Cypher had a seemingly random idea.

"Sakura-chan, your learning has been coming along marvelously. If you may indulge your dear uncle and your teacher with a demonstration?"

Kariya almost objected to this excessive display, but in his mind he reasoned that given the atmosphere of the season, it wouldn't be abnormal for supernatural activity to spike, would it? Besides, who could say no to her shining smile and that adorable pink yukata that she was wearing? Beaming at the two of them, she ran to the empty middle spot of their suite's living room and clapped as she shouted:

"I-ZA-NA-GI NO O-O-KA-MI TSU-KU-RE!"

With each syllable, a different demon was summoned by her command. First a man in ancient Japanese garb with a pike in his arms (though at the end it looked more like a knife blade), next a small red man with a crescent moon for a head, then a Chinese-looking youth with lotus petals around his neck, a cycloptic elephant with a massive belly, angelic statues around a clock, and so on and so forth until twelve demons surrounded Sakura. Cypher led the applause, and Kariya noticed that each one of the twelve demons were also clapping for her (for the demons without hands like Orthrus and Legion, they roared in celebration). "Excellent," Cypher congratulated Sakura, "twelve demons in succession! A full roster! Well done!"

Kariya, on the other hand, could barely count the amount of demons that he had managed to summon on one hand. Of course, he didn't let his own deficiencies get him down while he watched his ward shyly smile at her job well done.

The Matou family grave was almost entirely for appearances. Zouken had a habit of devouring the bodies of ailing family members in order to preserve his own, so not even ashes of the many doomed members of the Matou family occupied the family grave. Still, Kariya paid his respects as much as he could. He hoped that the souls of his ancestors and parents were at peace, now that the old patriarch had finally left this world. Sakura also wanted to visit the grave, now that she was identifying as a Matou rather than a Tohsaka. Kariya didn't know what she could possibly learn from a bunch of names on a stone, but who knew? Maybe with her power, she could resurrect one of his old, favorite aunts and-

"Well well well. Fancy seeing you here, brother!"

Kariya snapped out of his fantasy and turned to the source of the familiar voice. Clad in a Japanese Self-Defense Force uniform, and with wavy blue hair and mischievous gray-blue eyes, Byakuya Matou walked up to his younger brother and enveloped him in a hug before Kariya could stop him. Awkwardly chuckling, he patted his older brother's back as he hugged him back and said, "Byakuya... long time no see... Is that Shinji?"

Byakuya nodded as he beckoned his only son (and thus Kariya's only nephew) to them. Shinji looked just like Byakuya, with the same hairstyle and eyes, but just pint-sized. Kariya noticed that Shinji was utterly dazed at the sight of Sakura, as if this was the first time that he had seen a girl in his life. The little boy stumbled over his own name during introductions, and the group went to a playground some distance away. Sakura and Shinji went off to play while the two brothers caught up on the events since Zouken's death.

"Well, Byakuya? Did you finally dump the booze?"

The older Matou nodded, quite proud of himself. "Of course. I gave myself another month after the fossil kicked the bucket, but I've been cold turkey since. I've gotta set a good example for my son, you know." Kariya was happy to hear it. Being forced into the Matou family figurehead for Zouken was poison for Byakuya's health back in the day, so he had turned to the bottle for sympathy. The worst of it was when he was forced to send his own wife to be food for the accursed Crest Worms. As for the Byakuya that Kariya was looking at now, there were no bags under his eyes or a horrible stench of alcohol to notice, and he was healthier and happier than he had ever seen him. It was truly like he had been cured of a horrible curse.

Kariya clapped his older brother on his back and nodded, "Glad to hear it, brother. I noticed your new uniform too. Did you get a promotion?" At that, Byakuya stood up straight and replied, "Second lieutenant of the Japanese Self-Defense Force, and don't you forget it! General Gotou saw to it personally, might I add." Kariya whistled in mock-approval, not that his older brother could tell. He did recall various reports on this General Gotou though, and his controversial statements in the news about Japan's current climate.

Byakuya playfully nudged his brother in the shoulder and said, "Alright, enough about me! How about you, huh? What've you been up to lately? Who's the mom?" At Kariya's puzzled look, he continued, "Who's Sakura's mom? Who's the lucky lady that you were hiding from the old man?" Upon hearing that, Kariya quickly said "Oh, it's Aoi-" before realizing the implications, and was suddenly tackled-hugged by Byakuya. "Holy crap, you actually did it? You took her away from that Tohsaka prick? Way to go, bro!"

"Nononononono!" Kariya hastily tried to correct himself and his brother while he also tried to catch his breath. "No, it was- Zouken had gotten her through an old pact that he had with the Tohsaka family, to use as a future mother of the family or something." Byakuya let go of his brother, with a horrified look on his face. "She- She didn't- She wasn't- WAS SHE?!"

Kariya shook his head and said, "She was lucky. The old guy died right before she was forced into the chamber. At least, that's what she told me. I've been looking after her since" Byakuya sighed in relief at that, but the expression on his face was more of a puzzled one than anything else now. "Well, she certainly looks normal, though really cute too, of course. How _did_ the old guy die, anyway?"

"A heart attack." Even Kariya noticed that he responded too quick, and Byakuya chuckled at that. "Kariya, even if Zouken _had_ a heart, I still wouldn't believe you. Well? Do you know something about his cause of death?" Byakuya couldn't have been more than curious, but Kariya didn't know if he could be trusted with the knowledge of Cypher's existence. He was weighing the pros and cons in his head when-

"Ow!"

"I didn't do anything, I swear!"

"SHINJI!" Byakuya called to his son as the two of them walked over to the kids. Shinji was standing a couple feet away from Sakura, while Sakura was bent down on the ground. Kariya ran over to her while Byakuya kept his steady pace (and menacing father aura) on his walk over to Shinji. Kariya knelt down beside Sakura to inspect any damage, but outside of cradling her left hand in her right, she looked fine. "Are you okay, Sakura?"

"It hurts... It itches and it doesn't stop when I scratch it."

Kariya picked Sakura up in his arms and walked over to his older brother and nephew. "Sakura-chan looks fine. I've been homeschooling her and she hasn't been out much, so it's just an allergic reaction or something." Byakuya got the hint while Shinji still looked guilty, as if he was the reason she was hurt. "It was great seeing you again, brother. And you too Shinji, it's okay. It wasn't your fault, you two can play again next time, okay?" Shinji nodded back, though his expression didn't change much.

"Kariya, I know how hard it is to raise a kid on your own," Byakuya said. "If you ever need help, you know how to reach me, right?" Kariya nodded, and everybody said their goodbyes as Kariya took Sakura back home.

_Some time later..._

Kariya Matou was so tired.

All the comforts and amenities on offer couldn't do anything to help with his situation. He really regretted not even trying to get some basic non-rapeworm Magecraft training done under the old man's nose before he left way back when. Maybe it could have done some comfort in alleviating the stress he was going through at the moment. Then again, maybe not. Demon summoning wasn't like normal Magecraft, after all.

"Well then, Kariya. Let us see the fruits of your labor as of late. Hold out your right hand."

Kariya regained his composure and knelt down in front of Cypher, with his right arm outstretched to the other man. When Cypher inspected his right hand, Kariya could feel it jolt, burn and chill with every passing moment and touch. Suddenly, the pain spread out from his hand into the rest of his body, and he couldn't hold back a cry of agony. Cypher held onto his hand and kept looking it over, and when he let go, the pain immediately subsided.

"Fate has smiled upon you on this day, Kariya."

Kariya let his arm drop to the floor after Cypher let it go, and he fell over onto his sides. He moved his right arm the best that he could, which wasn't easy given that it felt like his arm had fallen asleep on him a moment after feeling like it was on fire, ice and lightning. Panting and sweating, he had enough cognizance left on him to watch as something peculiar happened to the back of his right hand.

Three lines were cutting into the back of his right hand, as if by invisible claws. He tensed in pain but the lines didn't react to him, continuing to cut three intricate lines in an ornate symbol. When they were finally done, it looked like three jagged lines emerging from a central point. With a dark thought in his head, Kariya couldn't help but think that they looked like spiky crest worms.

"Kariya... you are ready to fight in the Holy Grail War."


	5. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I would like to think that, by nature of the format with which I am spinning this yarn, I would not have to say this. On the other hand, best to err on the side of caution. Therefore, I am stating here that I do not own any of the properties that this story is based on, such as Type-Moon and nitroplus's Fate/Zero light novels and ATLUS's Shin Megami Tensei video game series.

* * *

Ryuunosuke Uryuu never thought that he would get caught.

Who could blame the guy? How often did the cops get the jump on a serial killer that made it a point to leave absolutely no traces after every kill? All he expected upon coming home (Not that it was his home, it was his latest target's house) was to chow down on a TV dinner, get bored by whatever was on the TV, then slit a throat or two and work on a bloody Jackson Pollock before turning in for the night.

Everything was set, the parents were tied up and hung out to dry in the backyard and the latest victim was bound and gagged, ready for the throat-slicing. Then all of a sudden, the kid was gone, freakin' VANISHED INTO THIN AIR, and some crazy dudes in robes burst in and knocked him out! They did some weird voodoo shit, waving their hands around in front of him, and he was out cold like THAT.

The next thing he knew, Ryuunosuke was locked up in some room with a giant mirror. As Ryuunosuke checked himself out (Outside of a bump on his forehead, probably from the knock-out blow, he was still the good-looking red-headed devil he always was), the image of those interrogation rooms at a police station came to mind. No desk to sit by here, but this was probably a one-way mirror for the cops to look at him as he dusted himself off. Same clothes that he always wore, purple jacket over a white shirt, and dark purple jeans with leopard-print shoes.

Who the heck was behind his capture? Maybe it was some relative of one of the folks that he killed recently, and they were secretly an ex-Black Ops pro who had all sorts of ninja skills and deadly torture tools on hand. Maybe it was an elaborate revenge scheme against him for all the horrible things he did in life!

….Nah.

The dim lighting of the room suddenly burst into full brightness, and Ryuunosuke fell backward from shock. All the hours spent as a night owl in utter darkness except for an occasional fluorescent light source were paying dearly, it was like a flashbang went off right in his face. His brain felt like it was overloaded with white noise, he could barely hear the echoing footsteps from the outside that were piping in through the speakers. Heavy shoes, very official-sounding, like an authority figure of some kind.

As his vision slowly started coming back, Ryuunosuke looked up towards the giant mirror that started to flicker and distort like a television with a bad signal. The mirror effect seemed to burn away and transform into a mere glass window, revealing a Japanese man in a military uniform on the other side. His uniform was quite decorated, definitely somebody who ran the place if not immediately reporting to the top brass in this base. His skin was fairly pale, his hair cut in a crew-cut style, and his default facial expression seemed to be locked in a heated battle between "I Don't Care What You Think" and " I Hate Everything".

Naturally, Ryuunosuke recognized him instantly.

"Oh hey! You're that General Gotou from the news! I totally saw you on the tube last night or whenever it was right before your goons locked me down here!" Ryuunosuke scrambled up to his feet and mock-saluted the General as he gleefully spoke. Heck, he didn't even know if there were mics in the room for him to be heard on the other side. "So, what am I in for? No, I mean, I didn't do it-" Ryuunosuke immediately shut up as soon as he heard the General clear his throat (Though it was not an action born of fear, rather one of curiosity as to what the General would say).

"Ryuunosuke Uryuu, you have been judged to be an unrepentant serial killer. In the eyes of the families of your victims, you are a heartless monster who kills for the joy of it, and a threat to our way of life as a civilized culture." General Gotou paused for a moment to observe Ryuunosuke, whose face only lit up more and more with each descriptor that he heard. "The church has seen fit to compare you to nothing less than one of the high demons under Satan's employ, and the Japanese government has declared that you be immediately executed upon capture."

"Unfortunately for those fools, the Cult of Gaea has another plan entirely for you, Ryuunosuke Uryuu."

Finally, the cherubic grin on Ryuunosuke's face changed to a completely puzzled expression. "Um... General dude? What the heck is the Cult of Gaea?" At that question, General Gotou snapped his fingers and the room around him lit up to reveal a menagerie of diagrams. Photos of UMA sightings, articles about urban legends from rumor-mongering newsletters like "Ayakashi Monthly", decades-old historical paraphernalia were all over the walls. They were all pinned in differing spots to a giant map that showed the whole world twice over, with one side being the world that Ryuunosuke knew, and the other almost double the size.

The general started pacing around the room as he spoke, "For countless decades, the Cult of Gaea has dabbled in the Dark Arts for the sake of bettering the world that we inhabit. You see it everyday, Uryuu. The world governments squabble over finite natural resources, men kill each other for petty possessions, and all the while our Mother Earth calls out to us." All of a sudden, the general produced a katana from out of nowhere and sliced the space around him, aiming at Ryuunosuke. He couldn't help but flinch, and was immediately impressed when the wall separating the two of them crumbled, the window breaking apart into clean pieces.

General Gotou looked into Ryuunosuke's eyes as he walked towards him, sword drawn out, and continued, "We, the Gaeans, are the only ones who hear our Mother Earth. We alone abide by her law: 'Wind Blows, Rain Falls, and The Strong Prey Upon The Weak.' We marshall her demon forces in her stead to cleanse this world of the unworthy, and it has all led to the Great War that is to come... Look at your right hand, Uryuu."

Ryuunosuke looked down at it, and finally noticed the strange red insignia that looked like a maelstrom. General Gotou sheathed his sword and saluted to the ceiling (That was Ryuunosuke's best guess, anyway) as he bellowed, "Ryuunosuke Uryuu, you have been marked as one of the Seven Masters of the Holy Grail War that shall decide the fate of this world, and you shall fight on behalf of our Mother Earth, to cleanse this world of evil and guide humanity back to its original path!"

Ryuunosuke looked around and cautiously walked over the sliced-up wall, through the opening towards General Gotou and cleared his throat. "So, let me get this straight. You want me, Ryuunosuke Uryuu, free-spirited serial killer and Public Enemy Number 1 in all of Japan, to join your crazy demon-hippie cult and wipe out modern civilization as we know it?"

General Gotou cocked up an eyebrow at him as he replied, "It's either that or lethal injection and next week's headline news for you."

Ryuunosuke didn't blink for a good half minute as he processed this, and he had one last thing to say:

"Dude, you're insane... and you're freakin' COOL! I'M IN!"

* * *

_Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald, Ninth Generation heir to the El-Melloi family of mages, and one of the most highly-renowned teachers in the Clock Tower, hated flying._

_Not the concept of independent flight, mind you. Oh dear, what he would give to be the one to achieve such a feat. Be damned the destruction of the masquerade and the fallout of being seen by the feeble-minded masses. He'd stave off the Clock Tower somehow, pay whatever it cost to cover damages and clear his name, anything to get out of this tin can called an "Aero-Plane" that was driven by a mere two pilots and could explode at any moment._

_Oh, but it was a necessary evil. How else to get over to that backwater, peasant country of Japan to participate in this barbaric Holy Grail War? He could only imagine how much more pathetic it would get this time around. It would be up to him and his great family tradition to bring some legitimacy to the proceedings. Tokiomi Tohsaka had airs of elegance about him, but it was all too obvious an act in his eyes. The constant communications with the Church, those ex-pats the Messians in particular, was another knock against them._

_Anybody who threw in their lot with outsiders from the world of Magi were bad news in Kayneth's book. Just look at the Einzbern family. They were already suspicious enough with their alchemy involving human dolls, and trying to create the Holy Grail of all things. And now they hired the Magus Killer, Kiritsugu Emiya? (Who happened to shoot down an aero-plane with conventional weaponry, Kayneth's all-too-vivid mind was reminding him at the most inopportune moment) And the Makiri family, that old fool Zouken dabbling in demon arts and what few records in the Clock Tower mentioning Tento Lords and some underground enclave society of bugs... Good riddance to that rubbish._

_Speaking of rubbish, good lord was this aero-plane never going to stop shaking? Kayneth look around him in the First Class compartment that he had bought out on his fiancée Sola-Ui's advice. He had relinquished the window seat to her (Who seemed far too happy by this, but he'd take any small victory to please this woman), and she just kept to herself as she gazed out the window. Kayneth had nothing but his armrests to hold onto and trying to think of anything else except for the situation that he was currently in-_

"Sir, why did you ignore the pilot's order to buckle your seatbelt?"

…

Sola-Ui Nuada-Re Sophia-Ri, fiancée to Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald, and the only daughter of the Sophia-Ri family of magi, never thought that she'd see the day where her husband-to-be would jump out in terror. It seemed that all it took was airplane in the sky and a well-meaning flight attendant. He looked just about ready to launch into an anti-flying tirade towards that hapless attendant before he suddenly turned green and bolted into the restroom. She laughed to herself at the pitiful sight, but stopped when she saw the attendant looking at her strangely. "First time flying," she said as she pointed towards the restroom door.

The flight attendant laughed as well as he sat down into the now vacant seat and replied, "Well your fiancé has my sympathies, madam. I had some trouble on my first time flying too. For the longest time, my brother and his friends wouldn't stop heckling me about the time when my face got so blue that I lost my lunch." Sola-Ui couldn't help but laugh at that. Admittedly, she wouldn't usually let just any stranger abruptly sit down beside her and make small talk, but what else was there to do during this flight? Plus, he was pretty cute.

"Oh lord, you don't even know. The cab ride on the way here, Dear Kayneth was going on and on about how dangerous airline flights were, that people were known to shoot these planes right out of the sky, unprovoked!" Sola-Ui said incredulously as the attendant shook his head in amusement. "Honestly, it wouldn't kill the higher-up families to enjoy some of these conveniences that modern civilization has developed."

"My older brother, he had the right idea," Sola-Ui started to reminisce with a smile on her face. "Bram embraced the world around us, everywhere there was an adventure, and everything had a lesson to teach us. Oh sure, Mother and Father feared what other families would think of us, but he was the heir. Whatever he said was the word, and Mother and Father already made the decision long ago that I wouldn't get the privilege of passing on the family legacy."

"For a while there, everything was good... but then..." Sola-Ui's expression saddened as she lost her words, and she shook her head as if to banish her feelings. "Well, long story short, he died and our family lost everything. Now I'm betrothed to Dear Kayneth in order to birth the next generation. The end." She turned to the flight attendant at that, and didn't expect to see the man in an introspective trance. "Excuse me, sir?"

The attendant looked up after a second and fixed that warm smile on his face again. "My apologies, madam. Your story... it reminded me of my own circumstances. Well, except the part about children," he corrected himself with a light chuckle. "I suppose it's something about living in the shadow of an older brother, and when that shadow leaves you before you can step out of it..."

"You feel like you'll never get out," Sola-Ui finished for him, and she nodded in solidarity. The awkward silence that followed was broken, to her relief, by the sound of the toilet flushing in the restroom. The flight attendant sheepishly grinned to Sola-Ui as he got up from Kayneth's seat. "It was a pleasure speaking with you, miss," he said as he took the cloth off his arm and wiped the seat clean while Kayneth returned. "Ah yes, that reminds me. Sir, Madam, we will be arriving at Fuyuki, Japan in a short while."

Sola-Ui smiled to him at this news while Kayneth sank back into his seat and prayed that the 'short while' would be within the next minute. "Well then, take care," the flight attendant bowed as he retreated out of the vicinity. Sola-Ui went back to staring out the window and ignoring her fiancé (Who continued to ignore her as he tried to master himself in the airplane). As she watched their destination of Fuyuki City get closer and closer, she wondered when was the last time that she had talked about her brother to anyone. If he was still alive, would he have competed in this Holy Grail War? A contest between Magi for a single wish...

Sola-Ui banished such flights of fancy from her head while the plane slowed to a stop. There was no point in conjuring fantasy scenarios in her head anymore. She was here, to become the source of the magic for her fiancé's ritual in summoning a Servant to fight for them, and that would be that. If they won, then the Lord El-Melloi was all the more stronger and influential. Whoop-dee-doo.

But... what if they failed? Was death truly the only alternative?

As she left the plane alongside Kayneth, Sola-Ui looked around for that previous flight attendant. Not a single familiar face, as it always was. Sola-Ui resigned herself to whatever fate had in store in the coming weeks, and the last thing she thought was, "Of course, I forgot to ask that man his name..."

* * *

Waver Velvet was absolutely bored.

Well hold on now! He was certainly excited for tonight! He had already gotten his Command Seals this morning, and he spent the better part of the previous night wrangling three roosters for the blood necessary for the summoning ritual. But he just finished wrapping up what could have been a disastrous breakfast time with his (fake) grandparents the MacKenzies, and after 15 improvised explanations for his "bruised right hand" and the "rooster social experiment" that he was running for "extra overseas college credits", Waver was at a loss for new stimulating activity.

"If I were a prestigious magus with time on my hands and a big war on the horizon, what would I do now?" Waver asked himself as he shifted around on his bed. There wasn't any way for him to perform experiments with his (fake) grandparents hanging around nearby, and he had the summoning incantation memorized ever since he hit the books back at the Clock Tower before he departed for Fuyuki City. He tried to look up Greek history in order to prepare himself for whatever Servant could come forth, but he didn't get far before falling asleep in the library and getting kicked out for drooling on a particularly old encyclopedia volume.

Waver sat up and gave his room one more look around before surrendering to Morpheus for a couple hours (Greek God of Dreams! See? He did do research!). The bedroom door, some unpacked clothes hung near his door with the rest in his luggage, a couple of his chemistry trinkets, empty space, empty space, the window to outside (What the heck were those roosters doing to each other?!), a computer on a desk with a fairly comfy chair in front of it, more empty space, aaaaand back to the door.

'Well I'm already essentially an outlaw and a heretic magus, why not broaden my horizons some more?' Waver asked to nobody as he moved over to the chair and powered on the computer. He wasn't a technology-hating luddite like almost all magi were. He spent all of a half-hour on one of the computers at the local library before he gave up digging himself out of the grave that was the digital Dewey Decimal System, but by no means was he somebody who got hung up on finding an 'any' key when prompted.

It seemed that the MacKenzies did some rudimentary accounting on this computer, a spreadsheet here and there to keep their financial records in order. There was even a folder with a couple digital drawings that Waver had to admit looked all right. Waver looked at the back of the computer hardware and saw that a modem was connected. Well that was unexpected. What would an elderly couple have to use the Internet for? If anything, that explained the reason why a BBS browser was the only program on the desktop that wasn't "My Computer", "Recycle Bin" or "Bob Ross's Painter".

Waver didn't expect anything of real interest when he logged in, and his expectations were pretty much spot-on. The bookmarked topics were fairly rote: news (That serial killer was really making waves, even with his disappearance), weather (Full moon tonight, perfect!), a rumor mill, the arts... Waver couldn't stifle a yawn as he felt like he was just wasting time. Clicking through the options didn't bring anything really new, with rumors about monster sightings (Really, Japan? Really?), urban legends about cell phone murders, the hottest new Encom video game import... Out of sheer randomness and a desperate need for ANYTHING that seemed magical, Waver decided to wrap up his Internet session by clicking on a topic labelled 'DEMON SUMMONING PROGRAM OUT NOW'.

*zap*

'Oh great, I killed the computer,' Waver thought. He made a mental note that by dinner time he'd have to conjure up an explanation as to why his (fake) grandparents' checkbook and digital fluffy cloud paintings were gone when the monitor flickered at him. Waver turned back to the screen, which was completely black but still obviously switched on. A blinking cursor was all that appeared on the top left of the screen, and something started to type itself out.

**RESET:**

**SEI**

**CLC**

**XCE**

**CLD**

**X16**

**M8**

For no discernible reason in his mind, Waver started to panic. He mashed keys on the keyboard, even pounded on the ESC key a bunch, but the computer ignored his input as the cursor kept moving along and expelling letters and numbers on the screen. Suddenly, Waver's mind was deafened by a loud heartbeat. Clutching his head and screaming out, he fell backward and off the chair, and the heartbeat persisted. He opened his eyes wildly, but didn't see anything but that infernal black screen burned into his mind's eye and the only thing he could hear was that heartbeat-

_A red-headed man in a cellar that looked like a war room, with children shackled to a summoning circle and their bodies opened up-_

**LDX #1FFFH**

**TXS**

**STZ NMITIME**

**LDA #BLANKING**

**STA INIDSP**

_A man in a red suit, wineglass in hand and facing another man with blond hair and glowing armor-_

**BJSR ENCOM**

**'EL ELOHIM ELOHO ELOHIM SABAOTH'**

_A familiar face this time, his old professor stunned at the sight of a divine icon standing before him-_

**'ELION EIECH ADIER EIECH ADONAI'**

_A hooded figure, huddled alone on the floor in darkness while disembodied voices and glowing eyes haunted him-_

**'JAH SADAI TETRAGRAMMATON SADAI'**

_A brown-haired man with a cross on his necklace, kneeling down to the bloody corpse of a priest in a church, his expression unreadable-_

**'AGIOS O THEOS ISCHIROS ATHANATOS'**

_A man in a black trenchcoat, standing alone in a fiery wasteland with a crazed look on his face, tears running down from his eyes as he pointed the gun right at him and-_

**'AGLA AMEN'**

With a bloodcurdling scream, Waver finally snapped out of his hallucination. Gasping for air, Waver desperately grabbed at his bedsheets to wipe the perspiration off of his face, and immediately stripped off his sweat-soaked pajama shirt. Could it have seriously been the computer that did that to him? Did he really download some occult program off of the Internet? To have seen those visions... Were those his future opponents, the other Masters in the Holy Grail War?

"Waver? Dear, are you okay?"

Mrs. MacKenzie opened the door and peeped in, with maternal worry all over her face. Waver pulled his bedsheets up to hide under them, and his mind went on overdrive. Crap, he must have startled them with that scream when he awoke from that mad vision. "Um, I think I had a weird dream or something, Grandma. What time is it?" Waver asked.

"It's almost 8 o'clock, dear. I didn't want to wake you up before because you were still asleep, but there's lots of leftovers for you on the dining room table, okay?" Mrs. MacKenzie explained. Waver wiped the sleep off his eyes (with his sweat-soaked bedsheets, bad idea as it made his eyes itch even more for some reason) and holy crap he remembered that he had to shut off the computer before Mrs. MacKenzie could see the perfectly normal desktop- Wait.

Waver did a double-take, and the computer was indeed back to normal, as if Waver didn't install any demonic programs onto their computer. "Um... Got it, Grandma. I just had a dream, I'm okay but I'm feeling a bit weird so I'm gonna hop in the shower before I eat, okay?" Waver replied as he fished through his luggage for clean clothes.

"Okay, Waver dear. Don't stay up too late on that science project after you eat, there's a mad killer out there!" Mrs. MacKenzie reminded him as she left. Waver breathed a sigh of relief, but in truth there was still an unsettling feeling in the pit of his stomach. There was no way that he imagined what he just saw.

Six older men, all with varying levels of sanity, all fellow Masters in the upcoming Holy Grail War. Waver knew he would have problems in the future with his former professor, but that red-headed guy looked like the serial killer on the news, and the guys in suits all looked formidable. For the first time since he first heard of the war, Waver had serious doubts about fighting again...

Waver looked back at the small box with the summoning relic inside, and shook his head. 'No backing out now, not this late in the game,' he thought to himself while he gathered up his clean clothes and headed off to clean up. After his late dinner... well, that was the fated hour. "See you soon, whoever you are..." Waver said to the box in the corner of the room as he closed the door.

…

The computer screen flickered back to black one more time, and a single message appeared before shutdown:

**INSTALLATION COMPLETE**

**PRE-INITIALIZING FUYUKI CONCEPTION**

* * *

"I foresee a complication."

In all of his years of preparation for the Holy Grail War, Tokiomi Tohsaka had never heard anybody say this to him until now. Leave it to General Thorman to bring a new viewpoint on things, as he walked around the workshop and looked around the summoning circle area. Tokiomi gave it a once-over as well, and could see nothing wrong. "What do you mean, General? I've plotted out the summoning circle perfectly, and I have the requisite mana to bring the Servant into this world."

Thorman shook his head and explained, "It's nothing to do with the technical aspects so much as... The Servant that you are summoning is a being of great power and stature in our world's culture. If we proceed with this ritual from within your workshop in this mansion's cellar, there is a chance, however minuscule it may be, that the Servant might not appreciate his welcoming environment. To be a figure of mythic renown, and see nothing but old books and dust upon arrival? We don't want to anger our guest, Tokiomi-kun, and you never get a second chance to make a first impression."

Tokiomi took all this in and, slowly, turned to the wall and leaned against it with his forehead. Oh Lord, Thorman was right. He was so absorbed in making sure the process itself was flawless that he didn't take into consideration the aspects that weren't mechanical. "Thank you very much, General, for this eleventh-hour revelation. Here I thought that I couldn't mess things up even more..."

Of all the possible responses, boisterous laughter was not one that Tokiomi expected from the General. "BWAHAHAHAHA, no need to worry yourself, Tokiomi! I did not come here merely to cheerlead for your ritual tonight in welcoming our renowned guest! I have come prepared, for ANY contingency!" Thorman started to stride effortlessly out of the workshop, and he pushed Tokiomi along in front of him until they were out in the front lawn of the Tohsaka Mansion.

Messian agents were scattered around the lawn in groups, with soldiers standing guard and the magic specialists charting out bizarre glyphs that even Tokiomi had not seen before. At the center, the Messian agents were recreating the Servant summoning circle that Tokiomi had made in his workshop, only at a larger scale than he thought was necessary. Tokiomi started to have a panic attack. "General, you can't be serious! Performing the summoning ritual out here?! What about enemy Masters, eyewitnesses-"

"Worry not, Tokiomi-kun!" Thorman patted Tokiomi on the shoulder reassuringly. "Tonight, the citizens of Fuyuki City will find that a thunderstorm has unexpectedly rolled in, and will have to return home. Any stragglers will be dealt with by my Messian agents!" Upon the look of horror on Tokiomi's face, Thorman laughed even harder. "With non-violent means, don't worry! The soldiers will only be dealing lethal force to Familiars of enemy Masters, and the Messian mages will wipe the memories of any eyewitnesses." Tokiomi breathed a sigh of relief at that, and in the back of his head thought, 'And with Assassin already summoned by Kirei-kun, there aren't any Servants capable of covert operations against us.'

"MASTEMA!" Tokiomi jumped at Thorman's sudden call, and one of the Messian agents who was working on the summoning circle started to run over. Well, maybe not run over so much as glide over. Upon closer inspection, the Messian Angel's wings were hidden but barely visible. The angel was black-skinned, and it wore white clothing. Tokiomi certainly didn't see this one often. "Tokiomi-kun, this is Mastema, our specialist in the Magecraft of your world. Mastema is the one who came forward with this brilliant idea to summon our guest here."

The angel Mastema was already somewhat hunched over in his composure, but it bowed nonetheless as it shook hands with Tokiomi. "Master Tohsaka, it is an honor and a privilege to serve you for tonight. To be a Magus with enough power to master our esteemed guest, our Champion for the Holy Grail War... I cannot find the words of praise! You need not worry, everything will be perfect for the ritual tonight..." and the praise and reassurances kept coming.

Tokiomi couldn't help being unsettled by this angel, but maybe he just wasn't used to him yet. "Mastema, please. It is I who should thank you all for your great help today." Mastema was almost on the verge of tears at hearing that, until Thorman cleared his throat and the angel took that as its cue to excuse itself and head right back to work.

Tokiomi chuckled to himself at the situation. "... General, as a Magus, it's far too easy to be trapped in one's own head when dealing with things. You all have my absolute gratitude for opening my eyes to what we can accomplish together." Tokiomi looked over the front lawn as preparations were being completed and had a genuine smile on his face. "General Thorman, for the first time in a long time, I truly believe that our victory in the Holy Grail War is assured..."

…

Back at the Zenjou family home, another delicate operation was underway.

"A Unicorn? Well, they certainly are pretty, but how strong can they be?"

Rin Tohsaka was diligently reading through the book that her Papa had given her on demons. Mr. Thorman had said that they would get one Law-aligned demon to summon, and Papa lent her exactly one gemstone with energy in it for such an occasion. Now she was doing her extra-curricular homework to make sure that she knew who to summon when the time came.

"A Hakutaku? Oh, just another Unicorn with red hair." Rin turned another page, "Pabilsag...? EW, it's a giant scorpion man!" Rin quickly turned to the next page, "I can't summon any angels except the weakest one..." She looked at all of them. The Cherub was most definitely NOT a baby with angel wings, Throne looked like he lived in a hoola hoop of fire, Virtue was a floating crystal shaped like an angel, but with a beating heart inside... What kind of God designed these things?

At least the normal angel looked okay in her oversized shirt... Wait, why was there a chain poking out underneath?

Rin shook her head. "It's no good if I only focus on the cute or good-looking ones. I need a strong demon no matter how ugly it is, so what happened last time won't..." The thought of what happened last time made Rin trail off as she felt her mind regress into itself. Like a pushy friend who had too tight a grip on her hand so she couldn't let go, she was brought back to that night when she met that Fiend that called itself Alice.

_Rin... Would you please DIE FOR ME?_

Out of shock, Rin snapped the book shut. It was like the voice had come from the book itself. Why couldn't she forget about what happened back then? Papa said that bad things happened in life so that people could learn from them and better themselves, but... What could possibly be learned from what she went through?

_Rin, please don't squirm. I promise it won't hurt anymore if you just accept it..._

Some nights, she swore that she could still feel it. That black and white demon that worked for Alice, with his strings that came from his hand that bore their way into her skull. With every move of every digit in his finger, she felt her conscious mind detaching itself to another part of her body, more and more until she couldn't breathe the very air in her own lungs and her eyes stopped working and she couldn't think anymore-

_**Rin, where are you?**_

She turned to the door in utter disbelief. Impossible. Papa killed that Fiend! He told her himself, heck he told her in graphic detail as if she needed to know and Mama was right that it gave her nightmares and how the hell was Alice back?! Back, and she knew that Rin lived in this house! Weren't those Messian guards here to stop this from happening?! Or maybe Alice made them her special friends too...

**_Rin, are you in there?_**

Panicking, Rin grabbed her Papa's gemstone off of the reading table and looked for an escape route. No windows, just another door that led to a closet, why did she decide to hide in the family library just to read this stupid book?!

The footsteps were getting closer, so Rin ran for the closet and closed the door behind her. Wait, no. She didn't close it. She slammed it shut with such force that anybody with even a pea-brain would know where she went.

**_Rin, are you playing in the closet?_**

_Nonononononononono if the Messian guards were killed, then that meant that Alice got to Grandma and Grandpa and Mama too oh God oh Papa I'm so sorry_

Rin clutched the gemstone and tried with all her heart to focus, to summon something but the gemstone wasn't glowing-

_Please someone anyone help me I don't want to be her friend I don't want to be her friend_

The footsteps were getting closer and closer -

_Idon'twanttobeherfriendIdon'twanttobeherfriendIdon 'twanttobeherfriendpleasepleasepleas_

**_RIN, IT'S TIME TO COME OUT_**

The closet door opened, and Rin screamed bloody murder as she tried to tunnel through the old coats and dresses behind her. A single hand latched onto her shoulder and pulled her out with no effort and Rin braced herself for the worst pain on Earth and beyond-

"Rin, it's time for lunch. What were you doing in here?"

That... wasn't the voice of a child-sized Fiend from Hell. Rin opened her eyes and saw her mother Aoi knelt down to talk to her face-to-face. Rin started to cry tears of joy as she gave her mother the biggest hug she could possibly give.

"Mama-I'm-so-sorry-I-thought-you-were-that-demon-g irl-Alice-again-even-though-Papa-killed-her-and-I- knew-that-already-but-I-read-that-book-that-Papa-g ave-me-and-I-was-trying-to-"

Aoi put a finger to her daughter's mouth, "Shh, it's alright, Rin. You're right, Papa killed that demon, and it's gone now. It won't come back." Rin nodded and wiped the tears from her eyes, and Aoi hugged her daughter back as she led her out of the family library. "Now then, it's time for lunch so let's eat with Grandma and Grandpa, okay?"

"Okay..." Rin mumbled in agreement as she followed her mother out. Mama was right, Papa killed Alice already. He killed her deader than Dead, and dead things never came back. Still, Rin felt like she had to explain herself to her Mama. "...I'm sorry I worried you, Mama. I was trying to find a demon to protect us in that book, and it made me remember what happened last time. I think I'll just write Papa a letter to ask him who I should summon to help us..."

Aoi's heart sank a little. 'So that's what she was doing in the library with that book Tokiomi gave her,' she thought. As they approached the dining room, Aoi replied, "Well dear, Papa might be a little busy soon, but we'll give it our best shot, okay?"

* * *

The Full Moon never looked so beautiful.

Ryuunosuke couldn't help but notice it for the first time in a long time. His occupation of choice necessitated a lot of movement, so he would never find time to take in the sights while he bled his latest victim dry. Then again, maybe if more families lived in giant skyscrapers like Cybers Communications, a.k.a. the home base of the Cult of Gaea, he'd take time off from skinning little kids alive to stargaze.

...Nah.

The Gaea Cultists had the space cleared out on the rooftop for tonight's ritual, so all that was left was to make the summoning circle on the floor, read the lines off his family's book, and boom shaka laka, Servant. Ryuunosuke flipped through the musty old volume that the Cultists had fished out of his home, damn his family was into some gnarly shit.

Well then why did they have to keep that from him? He wouldn't have killed them if they jusHAHAHAHA Yeah right.

Wait, something was missing. "Yo Gotou! We need some dead bodies or somethin' here! I don't know what this prana thing is, you got-" Ryuunosuke's shouting was cut short by the elevator's arrival, with Gaean cronies chucking dead carcass after dead carcass onto the rooftop with a wet slap and blood splatter following each one.

"I love this guy."

…

Watching Kayneth draw the summoning circle with his mercury in the middle of their hotel suite reminded Sola-Ui why she hated the man. The only thing that he seemed to devote himself to at 100% capacity was his magic work. Bored out of her mind, she decided to try needling him. "Kayneth Dear, is there anything you need me to-"

"DON'T! Don't move, Sola-Ui." She could have sworn she saw a vein pop in Kayneth's forehead as he turned on a dime to stop her from taking a step. "Our operation is delicate tonight. A single error could jeopardize our chances in this war, not to mention put your life in danger."

"Oh, so my well-being comes second to your winning this contest?"

"Sola-Ui, you know what I mean, and you must believe me!" Kayneth turned back to the summoning circle and continued working. "Anchoring the Servant's mana source to someone other than the Master cannot be taken lightly. Otherwise, you could be ripped apart by the summoning process, and your body and soul would be taken as well as your mana in bringing the Servant into this world, and I would have accomplished nothing but lost my dear fiancée."

Sola-Ui pondered that for a moment. "Ooo, I'm shaking in my boots."

"I SAID DON'T M-" Kayneth wiped the spittle off his mouth as he gave her a look. "You're not even wearing boots."

"It's a figure of speech. Well, hurry up then, Kayneth Dear..."

…

Waver had no idea why he was tiptoeing out to the forest clearing. It wasn't like the MacKenzies would catch him. (A potent sleep spell made sure of that) And it wasn't like this was one of those forests that he read about where people went to commit suicide.

Right?

'Well, more dead bodies means more blood and raw material for summoning,' Waver joked to himself as he opened the crate with the unconscious roosters and took out the kitchen knife. Waver brought the knife's blade to the rooster and... couldn't do it.

'Oh come on, Waver! It's just a rooster, it's not a human life!' Waver berated himself in his head for his hesitation to take the animal's life. It wasn't like the rooster had a home or a family that would miss it! Besides, it was crucial to get this ritual going and actually compete in the Holy Grail War! 'If it bothers you that much, then when you win the Grail War, you can ask the Grail to bring these roosters back to life, or heck, make a new world with unlimited roosters!' Waver thought to himself.

Note to self: Do not wish for Unlimited Roosters from the Holy Grail. Ever.

Taking a deep breath, Waver just hoped that his spell was sufficient to make it so the rooster wouldn't feel a thing. As he laid out the blood in the correct forms and shapes to create the summoning circle, he heard what sounded like thunder rumbling in the distance. "Oh great, a storm's coming..."

…

"Today marks a new day in history."

Tokiomi was somewhat embarrassed to note that his voice carried very far as he addressed the Messians in attendance, as well as his old friend Risei Kotomine, Kirei-kun, and General Thorman. "This is the first joint operation between my family, the Tohsaka clan, and the Messian Order."

"Together we summon the greatest Servant into this world, wielding a power that cannot be challenged, blessed with wisdom that cannot be ignored..." Tokiomi put his hands together in prayer as he finished, "...and bearing a voice that nobody can silence. With this Servant, we will choke the heinous being called Cypher out of hiding and erase it from existence with one blow!"

The Messians all shouted in unison, human members and angels alike. Risei looked upon Tokiomi with pride, while Kirei continued to regard the proceedings without a change in his expression. General Thorman held up his hammer, and the Messians silenced. Then, the clouds in the sky started to thicken and churn with each other, with lightning dancing to and fro. "... It is time, Tokiomi. May you be blessed by the Light as we journey towards Akasha, the Thousand Year Kingdom."

Tokiomi nodded, and he turned to Risei and Kirei who nodded back in solidarity. Tokiomi proceeded forward, walking down the stairs to the front lawn and the massive summoning circle. He raised his arms and reached out in his soul to the summoning circle, and he felt it call back to him like a heavenly song that filled his heart with warmth. Smiling, he began to chant:

**_A foundation of iron and silver_**

**_Upon it rests the cornerstone and the Archduke of Contracts._**

**_Above them, my ancestor, the great Master-_**

...

"Aw crap, how do I say this? 'Schwing-gorg'? No, that's not it. 'Shh- Shuh-vine-org'? Oh! Duh, German. Heheh, sorry guys!" Ryuunosuke shouted over in apology to Gotou and his Gaean cronies watching the proceedings. Chuckling to himself, he cleared his throat and continued:

_**Above them, my ancestor, the great Master Schweinorg.**_

_**Become the wall that repels the gale.**_

_**The four gates close tightly.**_

_**Now, burst forth from the crown, and follow the winding road that leads to the kingdom.**_

...

_**Fill, fill, fill, fill, fill!**_

_**Repeat it five times.**_

_**As each is fulfilled, so must it be destroyed...**_

Sola-Ui had to admit, as she stood still and didn't move from her position near the summoning circle, the ritual was quite dazzling to witness. As Kayneth continued to chant the incantation, she looked over at the summoning artifact that he had received from Norway. A tuft of black feathers, from a raven that had left this world ages ago... Who could possibly answer this call?

…

Halfway through the incantation, Waver felt it. Above the shining summoning circle, he saw the shimmering in the fabric of reality. The spell was reaching through space-time itself. Because of him, by his power, his champion in this war was coming!

_**I call to thee...**_

_**Thy body, borne of my will...**_

_**My fate, resting on thy sword!**_

_**If thou wilt bend to my will, my justice-**_

The piece of red cloth was glowing!

_**Heed the Grail's call, and give your answer!**_

…

_**I swear before you-**_

Tokiomi was standing before the summoning circle now, its blinding rainbow light shining high up towards the sky.

_**I will become all that is good in the world, and I shall eradicate all that is evil-**_

As if in response, the dark clouds of the sky parted to reveal an ethereal, heavenly plane. A great chanting choir could be heard coming from up above, and a blinding light met the summoning circle's rainbow light as if to form a bridge. Without missing a beat, Tokiomi concluded:

_**Seven Heavens, clad in the three holy souls, cast aside your shackles and come forth-!**_

_**O keeper of the balance!**_

…

On the rooftop of Cybers Corporation, a speck of light burst forth above the summoning circle, and the dead bodies that Ryuunosuke used for the ritual flew towards the light like they were pulled by a black hole. They massed in mid-air, and crunched and contorted into each other, defying the laws of physics as they formed a humanoid shape.

Gotou whispered to himself, "... It's not enough," and without warning unsheathed his katana and beheaded the two Gaean troops beside him. Their heads and bodies flew into the heathen mass at the center, and suddenly the entire thing exploded in a shower of blood and gore over Ryuunosuke. Standing in the center was a man in a blue robe, with bulging fish-like eyes and slicked back hair, clutching a book covered in skin to his heart.

**"COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL!"**

…

The mercury that Kayneth had used for the summoning circle gave the symbol a rainbow-like color, and the light that burst forth from the circle seemed to blast a new sunroof into the ceiling. Instead of the night sky outside, Kayneth and Sola-Ui saw an impossible view of space, but it was like the night sky from a world that they never came from.

_"Well, that's my cue."_

A column of rainbow light burst forth from a star, and it cut through that world until it impacted on the summoning circle, blowing away the furniture and other things within the hotel room. Kayneth flew backwards, but Sola-Ui stayed put in her spot. When the dust cleared, she saw the silhouette of an old man in golden armor, with horns protruding from his helmet and a long spear in his hand...

…

Waver finished the incantation and watched as something peculiar happened. The glowing red cloth that he had used as the summoning relic started to levitate from the rock that he placed it on. Out of nowhere, the summoning circle conjured up an identical red cloth and it started to hover above the ground as well! But as the light faded from the relic cloth, the replica only glowed brighter, and- was it knitting itself larger out of nothing?

Waver watched in amazement as the cloth grew into a glorious cape, and grew larger and larger until it wrapped around itself. The shape gained volume, definition, until the space around the cape warped and emitted a massive shockwave that knocked him backward with a yelp. The cape opened, and from it came a giant of a man in dark armor, an avatar of a man's strength. With a crash, the Servant landed on the ground, and then stood up to his full height and looked down at Waver.

"So... you're my Master? Kept you waiting, huh?"

…

With a thundering chain of sonic booms, something- no, someone- descended from the Heavens. A being of white light flew downward in supersonic speed. The moment right before the figure landed on the ground, a divine force emitted from the figure, and he stopped plummeting and floated down safely to the ground. It was a blonde man, wearing nothing but a pair of jeans and the most bizarre yet unmistakably divine white armor.

Thorman dismissed the storm with a wave of his hammer, and the Heavens retreated as the clouds departed to bring back the night sky. Risei Kotomine was awestruck, and Kirei could not believe his eyes. Standing before all of them was a divine icon, long-thought to be lost and apocryphal.

Tokiomi couldn't move in the presence of such divinity, even as the Servant merely smiled at him. He could only find the will to utter this:

"O Lord, this war is ours."


End file.
